White Shores Are Calling
by divadarling
Summary: Voyager is only 110 light years from home. As the Alpha Quadrant nears, new hopes and fears emerge within the crew. A meeting with a Starfleet research ship, and a confession from Chakotay put Janeway on edge. J/C
1. Calypso

White Shores Are Calling: An alternate ending to Voyager.

Forget Endgame, here is how I envision the end of Voyager. Takes place about halfway through season 7, so basically, no Jaffen or Seven/Chakotay (cause that is just icky). However, Seven is one of my favorite characters so this story won't ignore her... Actually, I love every character on Voyager, so they will all get their moment to shine. And, of course, this is Janeway/Chakotay all the way! Enjoy :)

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><p>The morale of the crew being so high, Neelix confided to the Captain he feared he was permanently out of a job. Janeway grinned as she watched the passing stars out the window of her ready room, remembering Neelix's excited but worried visage. She leaned against the wall, coffee in one and her other on her hip. Funny, now that the Alpha Quadrant beckoned them from only six weeks away even the replicated coffee tasted better.<p>

Six weeks. In less than two months Voyager would be home. A freak run in with the Borg, and an accidental slide into a transwarp conduit, had ended all of Janeway's fears of getting her crew home in the flash of phaser fire. In three days, the deep space federation research ship _Calypso_ would rondevu with Voyager. Janeway shook her head, hardly able to believe their escort home lay only a few light years away.

The news, and subsequent celebrating in the mess hall had put Janeway in a contemplative, almost sentimental mood. As the stars of unfamiliar space passed by, Janeway took another sip of coffee. The last seven years, with all the adventures and camaraderies formed, were nearly at an end.

The chime at the door interrupted Janeway's thoughts.

"Come in," she said, without taking her eyes from the passing space.

"Captain," Janeway heard the familiar voice of her first officer. "We're receiving another transmission from the _Calypso_."

Janeway finally turned, and took in the sight of Chakotay from across her ready room. The way he clasped his hands behind his back, and his slightly tilted forward stance told her he was eager about something.

"Yes?" She encouraged.

"Captain Taren wanted to speak directly with you. I had Tuvok route the transmission here."

Janeway nodded, set her coffee on the table in front of the couch and rounded the bar that lined the lounge area of her ready room. Chakotay turned to leave, but instinct pricked at Janeway.

"Stay Commander. If it is so secret he'll ask me to dismiss you..."

Chakotay looked slightly surprised, still on edge, but he nodded. Janeway flipped the view screen around and punched a few buttons.

"Captain Taren, it's nice to see you again. I look forward to seeing you in person." Janeway greeted with sincerity.

"As do I," the older gentleman agreed. Janeway remembered reading about Captain Taren during her days at the academy. She knew he was beyond retirement, but his missions continued to be successful enough that Janeway reasoned they must have postponed his departure from Starfleet.

"A personnel issue has been brought to my attention that I think is rather delicate," the captain stopped when he looked at Chakotay. Janeway followed his gaze and made eye contact with her first officer. She knew he would go if ordered.

"Chakotay is better at dealing with personnel issues than I am. I would like him to say, unless you have some objection?" Though Janeway turned her back to him, she could almost feel Chakotay's eyes on her, thanking her for the implicit trust. Janeway was no fool. She knew presenting a strong front between herself and all Maquis crew members was vital at this stage. Starfleet had yet to decide what to do with the Maquis on board, and Janeway remained determined to get each one of them a full pardon.

"No...no objection," Taren said. Janeway didn't think he sounded convinced, but she waited for him to continue.

"A lot has happened in the Alpha Quadrant since you've been away."

Janeway folded her arms and fought the urge to roll her eyes. She had a foreboding feeling Captain Taren was one of though long winded, never get to the point kind of officers.

"As you know, Starfleet has been sending us transmissions for months now. I think we're caught up on the basics." Janeway told him.

"Not on information too classified to submit over unsecure channels," Taren quickly added. He ran a hand over his bald head and sighed deeply. "To be honest Captain, even I've been kept in the dark. Only two members of my crew know the entire purpose of our mission in deep space."

Janeway straightened her back. The frown that formed on her brow was the result of words Taren had just spoken. The severity in his voice sent a chill down her neck. She was glad Chakotay stood so near.

"What does this have to do with personnel issues?" Janeway asked. Taren clasped his wrinkled hands on the desk in front of him.

"One of those crew members is Chancellor of the Betazoid Counsel on the Arts."

Chakotay moved forward, and the surprise on his face was mirrored by the surprise that Janeway felt.

"No one told us you had a VIP on board," Chakotay said.

"I wish it were only that simple." Taren replied. "The Chancellor would like to speak with you herself." Taren stood up and for a moment the chair was void. Janeway took the moment to exchange a glance with Chakotay. He seemed as bewildered as she was. When Janeway looked at back at the screen she came face to face with the Chancellor. A beautiful woman, with white luminescent skin, and large tight curls falling over her shoulders.

From the dark tint of her eyes, Janeway guessed she was a full Betazoid.

"Captain Janeway," she greeted warmly. Even from over the view screen Janeway felt that unusual calming quality she had encountered in some Betazoids.

"My name is Jurleena Sen."

"Nice to meet you," Janeway said, her patience for this meeting was beginning to wear thin. Chakotay must of sensed her frustration because she felt his finger tips lightly brush her shoulder.

"What is this about a personnel issue?" Janeway asked, using the most patient tone she could muster.

"My married name is Jurleena Sen-Hansen. I've been a widow for twelve years. My husband was human. Eric Hansen. Brother to Erin Hansen."

At first Janeway frowned, not understanding what this had to do with anything. Then, as the names repeated in her head she let out a short gasp.

"Erin Hansen is the mother of Annika. You're Seven of Nine's aunt."

"By marriage," the Chancellor added. "Starfleet was unaware of this when they sent the _Calypso_ to meet Voyager. Until I looked at your crew manifest a few days ago, even I was unaware. I wanted to tell you and ask, since you know Annik-Seven of Nine- whether this information should be shared with her."

Janeway blinked a few times to fully digest the information. Then she dropped her shoulders.

"I don't see why not. It's up to you. Seven is a unique individual, but I can't even venture a guess as to how she will react." Janeway explained. The Betazoid woman looked fatigued for a brief moment.

"You can't imagine how Voyager has complicated our mission." The chancellor said almost to herself.

"What exactly is your mission?" Janeway asked a bit flippantly. She knew she wouldn't get an answer but Starfleet secrecy gave her a headache.

The chancellor's warm eyes landed directly on Janeway.

"I know this is frustrating, Captain Taren is at his wits end with us, but there is a reason for secrecy."

"There always is Chancellor," Janeway replied sarcastically, knowing full well she was pushing her luck.

"I would like to meet my niece, if you will allow me permission to come onboard."

"Of course," Janeway said, softening her tone. "But if you do tell her, I would like to know. Seven is..." Janeway suddenly could not find the word she needed. Special? No, that wasn't it, everyone on the ship was special in their own right. Janeway had a bond with Seven, something she had a difficult time understanding herself. The word finally came but Chakotay was the one who said it.

"...a friend."

"I understand," the Chancellor replied, "Until we meet." The transmission ended.

Janeway leaned against the desk and folded her arms. She shook her head and waited for Chakotay to give her his opinion as he usually did.

"That will be a lot for Seven to take in..." Chakotay started and then trailed off.

"It's a lot for me to take in. A Betazoid Chancellor of Arts on a deep space mission?" Janeway unfolded her arms and paced the length of her ready room. She lifted on hand in the air and let the other rest on her hip. "A mission that the ship's captain doesn't even know about?"

"I have to admit, it does sound suspicious." Chakotay's calming voice always helped Janeway to think better.

"I was excited to meet with the _Calypso_ but now I'm not so sure," Janeway continued. "Maybe it would be best to forgo the escort and let them do whatever it is they're doing."

"Do you think they are rouge Starfleet agents?" Chakotay asked, with a slight hint of humor. "They were up front about not being able to divulge details about the mission, and about Seven."

Janeway stopped pacing and let her hands rest at her sides.

"You know I take pride in Starfleet, but the two things I hate most, the temporal prime directive, and secret missions. My skin just crawls when I hear either because I know it means headaches and disaster."

"Then don't think about it. We are six weeks from the Alpha Quadrant. We should be focusing on what to do when we get home," Chakotay said. Janeway could not help the lift in spirits she felt.

"You're probably right," she agreed, albeit reluctantly. Then she noticed his posture went back to the anxious, on edge stance he had when he first entered the room. He turned to leave, but Janeway decided not to let the issue pass.

"Is there something on your mind, Commander?"

Chakotay turned, and kept his gaze averted to the ground. He apparently needed a few seconds to overcome what almost seemed like shyness, before he met her eyes. When he did, she couldn't help but beam at him. Sometimes his soft-spoken gentle demeanor affected her as if watching a small child eat ice cream for the first time.

"Have you made any plans yet, for when we get home?" He asked. Janeway laughed and stepped up the carpet back to her coffee, forgotten on the table.

"Aside from a six week stay on the Cretorian Beaches?"

Chakotay laughed and followed her to the sofa. Neither of them sat down, but the mood seemed much more relaxed. Even so, as Janeway sipped her now cold coffee, she could see Chakotay still had an air of apprehensiveness about him.

"That sounds good to me too, but, I am serious," he responded.

"Well," Janeway thought for a moment, a little taken aback by his tone. "I supposed I'd like to go home to Indiana...see what is left of the farm. It may sound strange, but a hard day working in the dirt is very appealing to me right now." Janeway stared at a spot over his right shoulder as she dreamed up images of her hometown in her mind. When she snapped out of it she lifted the cup to her lips.

"What about you?" She asked before taking another sip. Chakotay took a deep breath, one so deep she watched his broad shoulders move with the action.

"It depends on whether Starfleet decides to pardon the Marquis. My homecoming might be a lifelong stay on a detention colony." He avoided her gaze, and Janeway thought she knew what was bothering him. His apprehension had to do with the Marquis.

She took a few steps toward him and put a reassuring hand on his arm.

"Chakotay, you know I won't let that happen. You're conduct on this ship, B'Elenna's conduct, and every other Marquis crew member has been exemplary."

Chakotay once again averted his gaze to the floor. She could see her words were not yet quit enough to convince him.

"I will do everything in my power to see Starfleet gives all the Marquis a full pardon. You know I won't let you down." Janeway tried to get Chakotay to look up at her but he kept his focus averted. She patted his arm a few times in reassurance before she ended the contact. He was in pain, and until they got home and she talked to Starfleet she could do nothing to help him.

"Kathryn," he finally spoke, very softly. She turned to look at him, he gaze finally meeting hers. She narrowed her eyes, his expression had changed drastically from when he first entered.

"When we get to Earth, despite what happens with the Maquis, I will no longer be your subordinate officer," Chakotay said and took a few steps toward her.

Janeway tore her eyes from him and looked out the window. Her heart jumped to her throat and she felt the temperature in the room rise about fifty degrees. She tried to calm herself. Her imagination was running away with her. He could not be hinting at what she thought he was hinting at.

"You've kept me at arm's length for seven years. The time is coming when we can be together and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you just walk away. I want to marry you, Kathryn."

Chakotay put his hand on her shoulder. Janeway remembered a day almost seven years ago, outside the cargo bay, when Chakotay had preformed the same action. Speech left her, and her throat felt dry. She still looked out the window. This moment felt like the culmination of all the worst nightmares she'd ever had.

"Chakotay," she finally managed to say. She continued to look out the window, and steeled herself against his touch.

"We've been through too much together. I'll admit there was a time...," Janeway took her eyes from the stars and turned slightly toward Chakotay, but she didn't look at him. "But it has long since passed."

Chakotay took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. His strong grip alarmed her.

"Do you really mean that? Over the last seven years I've thought you might care for me, but I've never been certain. When we were stranded on New Earth, when Mark broke your engagement, the late night suppers in your quarters. Was that all in my head?" Chakotay let go of her, but his voice was elevated.

Janeway could not look at him. She kept her head turned and her eyes closed. She felt the sting of tears, and the urge to punch him across the jaw for twisting her stomach into knots.

The chime at the door sounded far away and faint. Janeway swallowed hard, and even when the chime rang the second time she felt unable to speak. Until she was sure her voice could answer without wavering, she dared not attempt it. Finally, on the third and obviously irritated chime, Janeway spoke.

"Come in," she said. Chakotay turned to look toward the door, and Janeway took advantage of his averted gaze. As Seven walked into the ready room, Janeway quickly wiped away the tears, one on each side of her face.

"Captain, are you alright?" Seven asked, with a hostile glance toward Chakotay. Janeway cleared her throat.

"Yes, fine. What is it?" She sounded a bit more harsh than she intended to. Seven inhaled, titled her head to one side and then continued.

"I thought you might like to know, I've detected a heavy concentration of Borg vessels thirty light years from our current position."

"Borg vessels? This close to the Alpha Quadrant? What are they doing?" Janeway asked. She brushed pass Chakotay and approached Seven of Nine. The former drone handed Janeway the PADD with the findings.

"Unknown. I suggest we alert the _Calypso_ of our findings." Seven suggested.

"Agreed." Janeway exited her ready room, followed by Seven and Chakotay.

"Harry, open a channel to the _Calypso_," Janeway ordered. She felt Chakotay take his place at her side, and only for a moment did her mind linger on the conversation they just had. The thought, _he just asked me to marrying him!_ flashed through her mind before she regained her focus.

"Captain Taren," Janeway said once the view screen was active.

"Captain Janeway, this is a surprise. Is everything alright?"

"We thought you might like to know, our long range scans have detected a large concentration of Borg vessels thirty light years from our position."

Captain Taren frowned, but he did not look as surprised as Janeway would have liked. She sent a glance to Chakotay, wondering if he noticed the same thing. His eyes told her he agreed, and she was grateful his willingness to support her as captain had not been impaired by their recent disastrous conversation.

"We are aware of the Borg vessels captain, but thank you. In recent years Borg attacks in Federation space have increased." Taren explained.

"And you're ship was sent to find out why," Janeway said out loud, relieved to know at least a little more about the _Calypso's_ purpose.

"Precisely," Taren answered.

"You know captain, things would be a lot simpler if you would have just come out with the truth," Janeway replied, and thought she heard Chakotay scoff. Taren frowned again, then nodded.

"The rondevu coordinates are safely out of the way of any stray Borg vessels," Taren reassured.

"We will see you in three days Captain," Janeway said. Taren nodded and the second transmission to the _Calypso_ that day ended.

"Captain," Seven asked from her console above the captain's chair. "If the _Calypso_ is studying the Borg, it is an inefficient use of their time to escort us back to the Alpha Quadrant."

"Maybe they've completed their mission," Harry answered before Janeway could. The Ensign was obviously eager to see some new Starfleet faces.

"Or maybe getting us home safely is a higher priority," Tom added.

"Either possibility is logical," Tuvok put in his two cents worth as well. Janeway held up her hands.

"We can ask when we see them in three days," Janeway said, and Ensign Kim grinned from ear to ear. Seven inhaled, and a look of distain over took her face.

"Still, I fail to see how a research vessel could offer Voyager any useful protection," Seven remarked.

"Long range scans have detected the _Calypso_ has a state of the art defense system, one that can rival Voyager's," Kim added, with a triumphant glare at Seven. The tidbit of information caught Janeway's attention. She turned and looked at Ensign Kim.

"I was going to included that in today's report. Long range scans just picked it up."

Janeway nodded and started toward her ready room.

"Chakotay, Tuvok," she said and walked through the door. Normally she would not have invited Tuvok, but Janeway had enough to worry about right now. Inviting Chakotay alone might cause a repeat of the earlier conversation, and that was not something she was willing to deal with at the moment.

When both men were inside and the door had swished shut Janeway began.

"When we meet with the _Calypso_ I want you to be on your guard. They are up to something, and I don't want Voyager to end up in the middle of another Borg battle, not when we're this close to home."

Tuvok and Chakotay exchanged a glance.

"We could decline their help," Chakotay suggested.

"That would be illogical. We have no proof of a hidden agenda. Two ships have a better chance of getting to the Alpha Quadrant than one," Tuvok countered.

"Agreed." Janeway replied, "but I still want you to look for any suspicious behavior. Remember the _Equinox_."

The two senior officers nodded, and seemed to understand her point. Perhaps Janeway was being paranoid, but after the run in with the prime directive breaking crew of _Equinox_, she wanted to take no chances.

"Dismissed," she said. Tuvok turned and left promptly, but Chakotay lingered.

"Captain-" he started.

"I said dismissed." Janeway's tone was hard. Chakotay clenched his jaw, glared at her, and for a moment she thought he would disobey her orders. Finally, he turned and marched out of the room.

Once he was gone Janeway sunk into her chair. She put her hand to her forehead and wondered if going back to the Alpha Quadrant would really be all she hoped.


	2. Secrets

Thank you so much for the reviews, you all rock! My goal is to update weekly, and so far so good. Here is chapter 2, hope you like it :)

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><p>Captain Janeway nodded politely to the smiling crew members she passed in the corridors of <em>Voyager<em>. These days she had become a very popular person. Good decision making on her part and the part of the senior staff had brought the crew home, and she could see the look of gratitude plainly on each face she passed.

As she passed a sleepy eyed crew member with a nod, she thought back over her own busy morning. Three days had passed since Chakotay's startling revelation, and Janeway was grateful he had left her alone.

The stretch of hallway before Janeway lay empty, and she let her mind wander back to the subject. After the initial shock wore off, Janeway began to see the situation from a different angle. She was angry with Chakotay for putting her in such an awkward position, but she felt a little guilty for her abrupt reaction.

He boldly, and without regret, put his feeling on the table, and she failed to appreciate the significance of his courage until a day later. After all they had been through, she was more than a little surprised to find he still felt so strongly about their relationship. She nearly summoned him to her office this morning, but preparations for the _Calypso_ meeting and the return home left no free time for an intimate chat.

When she reached sickbay she stopped outside the door, giving herself just a moment to prepare for an interaction with the Doctor. Not that she didn't value the Doctor, or consider him one of the _Voyager_ family. She did, and more than that, she considered him a friend. The news _Voyager_ would soon be home somehow seemed to magnify all the qualities Janeway found most irritating in the hologram. When he wasn't buzzing around the room with news of some lecture hall or convention he wanted to attend on Earth, he was lathering patients with such gooey eyed sweetness, Janeway thought the crew was in danger of developing emotional diabetes.

"Good morning, Captain," the Doctor, bright eyed and overly chipper, waltzed out of his office and over to her. Janeway managed her best greeting. She slept terribly, thanks to Commander Chakotay, and the rondevu with the _Calypso_ was only minutes away.

"What did you want, Doctor? I'm needed on the bridge."

"Yes, I know how important you are these days," he told her, and then chuckled at his own joke. If it was a joke. Janeway couldn't be sure what he meant by the comment, but she stifled the urge to roll her eyes at him. He picked up the medical tricorder on the tray next to the console. He made a futile attempt to scan her.

"What exactly do you think you're doing, Doctor?" She asked.

"Giving you a check up," he informed, giving the scan another try. Janeway dodged the instrument until he gave up with a frustrated smirk.

"I am perfectly healthy," Janeway assured him. "Other than you're giving me a headache right now." She knew better than to risk a comment like that to the overly sensitive Doctor, but her worsening mood destroyed what little tolerance she had entered sickbay with.

"Not according to Seven of Nine," the Doctor replied. Janeway put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin.

"Seven told me you looked ill a few days ago, and suggested I give you a check up," the Doctor explained.

Janeway turned her head to the side, her lips pressed together. She figured she should thank her lucky stars that Seven was such a bad interpreter of human emotion. Her gratitude was in short supply. Seven's misread of Janeway's state of distress the afternoon with Chakotay had started off an already busy day on the wrong foot.

"I assure you doctor, there is no need for concern," Janeway answered, and started for the door. The Doctor moved to block her escape with the tricorder still in hand.

"I find that hard to believe. Seven isn't one prone to flights of imagination," the Doctor once again attempted to scan Janeway. This time she brushed his hand away. He glared at her.

"What Seven saw was Chakotay and I having a disagreement, hardly a medical emergency," Janeway answered truthfully.

"About what?" the Doctor asked. Janeway shook her head. Now he was prying.

"That is not your concern Doctor." She moved around him and made a straight march to the door. Once the door swished she walked through without looking back.

"I disagree. If you were upset enough for Seven to ask me to-" He started to yell after her but Janeway cut him off.

"I'm alright," she responded flippantly before she heard the door close. She noticed the Doctor did not have his mobile emitter on, which was probably the only reason he wasn't chasing her down the hallway right now.

She shook her head as she rounded the corner on her way to the turbo lift. What a waste of time her trip to Sick Bay turned out to be. As Janeway waited for the turbo lift to arrive, she made a mental note to inform Seven she should stick to Astrometrics and not the health of the Captain.

The turbo lift door opened, and Janeway almost stepped inside, but she stopped when she saw who already occupied the small space. Chakotay. She had barely seen him since the day in her ready room. He gave her a steady, resigned glare.

"Would you like me to take a different lift?" He asked. He tone sounded almost teasing.

"No, of course not." Janeway stepped inside and Chakotay ordered the lift to the bridge. They rode in awkward silence for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Janeway had to say something.

"I've been busy," she blurted, hoping he understood what she did not dare put into words.

Chakotay waited a long time before he responded.

"Yes. A lot is happening right now."

Janeway lifted her chin, but did not look at him. They were six weeks away from the Alpha Quadrant and already she felt the chain of command slipping into forbidden territory.

"You caught me off guard." She replied swiftly, hating herself for even giving him an answer at all.

"And you don't like to be off guard, I know that. I'm sorry." Chakotay turned to face her. "Can't we at least talk about this?"

She met his eyes and felt the urge to squirm just a little.

"Yes, let's talk about it." Janeway stated, bold as the brass on the cusp of her uniform. She knew postponing this conversation was only delaying the inevitable.

"Computer, halt turbo lift." The computer chimed and then complied with Chakotay's order. He watched her intently.

"Well?"

Janeway put her hand to her forehead, and closed her eyes for a brief instant. She knew how she _wanted_ handle this situation, but Starfleet rules, protocol, and standards had to be upheld. She feared this conversation, because even before it began, she knew she was going against Starfleet, which for her, was akin to going against everything she ever believed in.

"You realize it could be considered a dereliction of duty on my part to even be having this conversation with you." She took her hand from her forehead and placed it on her hip.

"But when we get home, it won't be," Chakotay argued his point softly, his voice cool and collected. Janeway could reason with this Chakotay, the one in her ready room a few days ago seemed like a different person.

"We are not there yet," Janeway lifted the volume of her voice just a little, perhaps to counter the softness in Chakotay's.

"Until we are, what I'm suggesting is a secret engagement."

Janeway could not help the smile that threatened to show on her face.

"Secret engagement? Really, Chakotay, next you'll be telling me you're a prince in disguise."

"Not a prince," Chakotay replied, his own smile coming through, "but I hope to be a knight in shining armor."

"The Doctor has been laying it on thick, not you too," Janeway said and this time a small laugh did escape her lips. The two of them laughed, a much needed tension breaker. Janeway felt as if she had been walking on eggshells around him for the past three days. When the laugh ended Janeway looked back up at him.

"I can see the headlines, Captain marries first officer day of _Voyager's_ return. The press would rip us to pieces, and Starfleet would give me a severe reprimand, if not worse," Janeway said, still inwardly scolding herself for breaking every Starfleet regulation about conduct of a commanding officer.

"But they couldn't touch your commission. They'd have to prove something happened during your command. It didn't. And it won't." Chakotay's words were more than just that, and Janeway knew it. He was making her a promise. Janeway titled her head to the side.

"You always did argue your point well, Chakotay."

He stepped closer to her, and for a moment she thought he might reach out to her. His hands remained clasped behind his back, as if to prove his earlier promise.

"You said the time for us is past. Do you really believe that, Kathryn?"

Janeway averted her eyes, but the rest of her remained still.

"I did, until a few days ago," Janeway admitted. Chakotay opened his mouth, glanced at the floor and then back up to her, his hands still behind his back.

"It's been a bumpy road, no argument there, but when I started to think about life after _Voyager_...I couldn't imagine that life without you in it." Chakotay's quiet, gentle way always got to her more than his forceful stubborn-headedness. She wished this conversation had taken place in her ready room, where she didn't have to be in such close proximity to him.

"But...marriage?" Janeway could barely choke out the word. Her luck with engagements, with men in general, was a gloomy street paved with good intentions. "Maybe we should start instead with...I don't know, a date."

Chakotay did not laugh, much to Janeway's annoyance. She was attempting to once again defuse the tension with humor, but this time she failed.

"There would be no point in that. When I know what I want, I go after it."

Chakotay nearly took a step forward, but must have thought better of it. He remained in the same position, eyes locked with hers. "And so do you."

"Kim to the Captain," Harry's voice came over the COMM.

"Yes, Ensign," she answered Harry but did not take her eyes off Chakotay.

"We are almost within range of the _Calypso_."

Janeway lifted her chin.

"We better get going," she said, hoping he would order the lift to continue the upward climb to the bridge. She was about to order the computer herself but Chakotay spoke.

"Do you agree to my idea?"

Janeway exhaled, and clenched her teeth.

"As your commanding officer, I can't tell you yes. I don't," Janeway paused and felt her voice soften, "_want_ to tell you no."

Chakotay's face lit up, and Janeway felt the warmth of his smile throughout her frame.

"If I asked you this again, say, they day _Voyager_ arrives home..." Chakotay watched her intently.

"I'd say you better be careful, Commander, or you might let yourself in for it," Janeway said and then broke his gaze. "Computer resume."

The lift started, and Janeway felt her pulse racing faster than the passing lights of each deck of the ship. She was engaged, or as good as. A much different engagement than her one to Mark, certainly a less elegant proposal, but no less heartfelt.

The lift stopped and the door opened. As Chakotay stepped out, he whispered to Janeway.

"The next six weeks are going to be hell."

Janeway thought he might say more but the bridge crew was now aware of their arrival. Chakotay stood at the door and waited for Janeway to walked in front of him. She lead the way to the center of the bridge. She found difficulty in containing her good mood. A lifted eyebrow from Commander Tuvok made her calm herself just a bit.

"Ensign Kim, is the _Calypso_ within scanning range?" Janeway asked, eager to take the focus away from herself and Chakotay. Before Kim answered she saw him recover from a clandestine look at Lt. Paris. No, that was in her imagination. Chakotay was right, the next six week would be hell, for more reasons than one.

"Yes ma'am," he said. His familiar tone got on her nerves at that moment.

"They never sent us a crew compliment," Chakotay said to Kim, "How many crew members?"

Kim hesitated.

"Captain?"

Janeway looked at Chakotay. Technically there was no rule against one Federation ship scanning another. She was just as curious as Chakotay.

"Do it." She ordered. She remained standing but Chakotay took his chair.

"Scans are showing 68 crew members. 66 male, and only 2 female." Kim informed as he read the sensor scans. Janeway lifted her eyebrows and saw her own surprise mirrored on Chakotay's face.

"Are we in visual range?" Janeway asked.

"Yes, Captain," Tuvok answered.

"On screen."

The screen flashed, and Janeway narrowed her eyes to study the design of the state of the art Starfleet vessel. The ship was larger than _Voyager_, but not by much.

"Seems like an awfully small crew for a ship that size," Chakotay said, to no one in particular. Janeway sat in the captain's chair and began to review the information for herself.

"That isn't all that is odd," Kim answered. "Humanoid life signs are all over the spectrum."

"Is that a technical description, Ensign," Tuvok asked.

Kim pursed his lips and huffed a little before continuing.

"I mean, there are species from all over the Alpha Quadrant. Bajoran, Klingon, Vulcan, Betazoid, Bolian..."

"Not unlike our own crew," Tuvok again commented.

"Even Romulan and Cardassian."

At the Janeway shot a look to Chakotay. She could see in his eyes the concern that came with the mention of the Cardassians, bitter enemies of the Maquis.

"That's not all that's strange," Kim continued. "I'm reading four medical bays, and storage space twice that of _Voyager's_."

Janeway tried to make some sense of the information she just heard, but she knew they lacked enough facts to put the pieces together at this point. She felt justified in her warning to Chakotay and Tuvok to be on guard, though the possibility of a clash between the Maquis and the Cardassian crew members added a level of complication.

"They're hailing us," Kim said. Janeway stood up, unsure what to make of the situation, but willing to press forward.

"On screen."

The familiar bald head of Captain Taren appeared on the view screen.

"Captain Janeway, it's good to see you."

"You as well," Janeway said with more than a little politeness. Her good mood was showing through again.

"No doubt you've scanned our ship and have some questions," Taren got directly to the point, which Janeway appreciated.

"I'm afraid we do," Chakotay replied. She wondered if his mood, equal in joy to her own, could be noticed by the rest of the crew.

"It's natural. We will explain everything we can," Taren offered, though Janeway had a feeling the information would be severely limited.

"With your permission Captain, myself and my senior staff would like to come aboard," Taren requested.

"Granted. Harry, alert transporter room two. Tuvok, Chakotay, you're with me," Janeway said and started for the turbo lift.

Once inside with the doctor closed, Tuvok spoke from the right side of Janeway.

"Captain, I didn't want to mention this in front of the bridge crew, but I read traces of Borg weapons damage throughout several sections of the _Calypso's _hull."

Janeway looked over her shoulder at Tuvok, surprised by his findings.

"It looks like our Federation friends have been busy," Chakotay replied.

"I don't know what they're up to," Janeway said lifting her hands in the air, "but the last thing I want is to get involved in a Borg conflict when we're this close to home."

The turbo lift opened and the three of them exited, the commanding officers trailing only a step behind Janeway.

"What we discussed earlier still stands. I want to be alerted of any suspicious behavior, no matter how insignificant," she spoke as she marched swiftly toward the transporter bay.

"Understood," came Tuvok's reply just as they arrived at the door.

Janeway entered, waited an instant for her to officers to take their places at her side, and then looked to the Ensign behind the console, she recognized Tal Celes.

"Energize."

Janeway could make out the forms of four individuals. The one in the center closest to them was obviously Captain Taren. He was taller than Janeway expected, but even under the blue tinted particle flux of the transporters his bald head was unmistakable.

Next to the Captain a much shorter figure took form, clothed in non Starfleet regulation robes. An instant later and Janeway recognized the familiar cascading curls of Chancellor Sen. Seven's aunt. Janeway inhaled at the thought, wondering how that particular situation would play out. Whether she liked it or not, she felt as if a house of cards was being stacked around her.

She felt Chakotay tense at her side and turned to see him reaching for his phaser. Janeway followed his intense glare, and saw the figure of a Cardassian next to Captain Taren. Had the Cardassian been attired in a Starfleet uniform Janeway might have stopped Chakotay from drawing his phaser. The tall, perhaps even handsome, Cardassian wore a dark brown garb, one that almost looked Maquis.

"What are you doing with a Cardassian!" Chakotay demanded. Janeway decided to let the situation continue, though Chakotay's behavior was far from ideal.

"Captain, if I might..." Captain Taren said, fumbling a bit over his words. The man was well beyond retirement age.

Janeway gestured to Chakotay, and reluctantly her first officer lowered his phaser.

"With the former Maquis on board I realize this is not the ideal situation," Taren began.

"You got that right," Chakotay growled. Janeway shot him a glare and he back down just a little.

"This is Dr. Krell," Taren said and the Cardassian stepped forward. "He is not an enemy to Starfleet, I promise you that. His research has made our mission possible."

Janeway stepped forward and offered the Cardassian her hand, she could almost feel Chakotay's anger as he watched their greeting.

"You'll have to excuse my first officer," Janeway said. She hoped Chakotay could hear the disapproval in her voice.

"By all means. The conflict with the Maquis was not a proud time in the history of my people," Krell answered. Janeway thought Chakotay was about to speak again, but she sent him a look that curtailed and further comment.

"Chancellor Sen you've met," Taren gestured to the tiny beauty at his side. The Betazoid smiled and the room felt a few shades brighter. Janeway nodded and then turned to the fourth crew member. She recognized the woman, before Taren got around to introductions.

"Beverly Crusher," Janeway stepped up the ramp and eagerly shook the hand of the _Enterprise's_ famous doctor.

"It's an honor to-" the both started to say in unison, and then laughed.

"But, I thought you were aboard the _Enterprise_," Janeway said. Crusher nodded and the two descended down the transporter.

"It's a long story," Crusher responded after a glance at Captain Taren.

"This is Tuvok, our chief security officer, and Commander Chakotay." Janeway quickly introduced them.

"I've arranged for a tour of the ship, as you requested," Janeway informed. She had to make a swift adjustment in the tour planning, because the original plan placed Chakotay in the company of Dr. Krell. "Dr. Crusher, Captain Taren, Chakotay will show you to the medical bay. Dr. Krell, commander Tuvok will take you to Engineering."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Chakotay asked. His blatant questioning of her order put her in a sour mood. For a split second Janeway wondered if he was referring to B'Elenna's reaction to a Cardassian, instead of the trustworthiness of said Cardassian. Whatever the reason, she did not dignify him with an answer. She had other things to worry about.

"And Chancellor, if you come with me I'll show you to Astrometrics," Janeway finished. The Chancellor had specifically requested to meet Seven of Nine, of course, but Janeway felt the situation would be more comfortable for both aunt and niece if there meeting was under a different pretense than 'she wanted to met our resident Borg.'

The company parted ways, and as they did so Janeway could not help feeling the tingling of something slightly amiss. The tour requests from Taren's senior staff seemed a bit too specific to be more than healthy curiosity. She wished she could accompany Tuvok or Chakotay to glean information that might slip through about the _Calypso's_ mission.

Unfortunately, she knew she had to be present when the Chancellor met Seven. Even if Seven's aunt kept their familial relationship a secret, Janeway knew the interaction would eventually become important. She felt a responsibility to Seven, and she refused to ignore her duty.

"I think your concern for Seven of Nine is admirable, Captain," the Betazoid said. Suddenly, Janeway remembered with no small amount of irritation that Betazoid's were empaths as well as telepaths.

"Don't worry, I only get the occasional glimpse of someone's thoughts, and that is only if I'm concentrating hard," the chancellor continued.

"You must be concentrating now," Janeway replied, picking up the pace as they walked to Astrometrics.

"I was." She answered simply. "But I find carrying a conversation nearly impossible to do while reading someone's mind."

"In that case, I'll be sure to keep you talking," Janeway said the words as a joke, but she was half serious. The last thing she needed right now was the lid to blow off her personal life as well.

"Here we are," Janeway said and lead the way into Astrometrics. Seven stood behind a console with her back to them. Her fingers swiftly pressed buttons and she paused only momentarily when then entered. With one quick glance behind her, she regarded them for only a moment before her attention went back to the console.

"Seven, I'd like to meet Chancellor Sen, from the _Calypso_," Janeway introduced, forcing Seven to pry her attention away from her calculations. Once aunt and niece faced each other Janeway studied their reactions carefully.

"Species 2635, Betazoid. Your species is known for their telepathic abilities. They make excellent assimilation drones," Seven factually announced. Janeway fought the urge to pull Seven aside and remind her there is only one chance to make a first impression. The chancellor looked at Janeway, clearly surprised.

"Seven, why don't you show the chancellor some of our advancements in Astrometrics," Janeway suggested, giving the chancellor and apologetic shrug. Seven lifted an eyebrow.

"I fail to see what use a Betazoid Chancellor of Art could have with Astrometrics," Seven's voice sounded a little more severe than usual. Janeway's curiosity caused her to narrow her eyes at the former drone. Seven might be impolite occasionally, but this behavior was downright rude.

"Seven?" Janeway questioned the behavior.

"Captain, I believe the crew of the _Calypso_ is hiding something." Seven shot a glare at the Betazoid.

"Explain," Janeway encouraged, hoping the chancellor would not take too much offense. Seven turned and walked to the console. A map of the sector appeared on the large view screen, followed by a zigzagging line following a flight trajectory.

"By tracing the Calypso's warp core signature, I've managed to construct a map of their flight path," Seven informed. Janeway approached Seven's side and leaned over the console, studying the image on the screen.

"They are closely following a group of Borg vessels."

Janeway glanced up at Seven. The discovery did not surprise the Captain, but it did concern her.

"That is not all," Seven continued. She was on a tirade, as she often ventured into, and Janeway figured it was best to let her finish.

"Judging the _Calypso's_ size and design, by Starfleet standards they should have a crew complement of at least 185. From traces of Borg weapons fire I discovered, I believe the missing crew members were assimilated," Seven finished. Janeway stood up, and put her hands on her hips. She looked around Seven and at the chancellor.

"I don't suppose you'd care to respond," Janeway asked, knowing full well the question was futile.

"The less you know the better," Chancellor Sen replied from behind them. Her hands rested neatly, one over the other, on the empty table top at the end of the console.

"I'd like to see the mess hall now," the chancellor abruptly requested. Janeway was grateful for the excuse to the leave, although she was not pleased with the last few minutes. She stepped into the hallway, with the chancellor along side.

"I'm apologize. Seven takes some getting used to," Janeway said. Today, she felt like all she did was apologize to the Calypso crew. Her patience was wearing thin.

"I must admit, I imaged that going differently," the chancellor had a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"I met Annika only once, before her parents took her on their journey. Erik and I argued, unsuccessfully, for them to leave her with us."

Janeway listened intently, slowing her pace a little, hoping to encourage the chancellor to divulge more of the story.

"Annika impressed me, because she was a very..." Sen looked to the ceiling, as she searched for the word. "Compassionate little girl. I see that has not changed."

Janeway turned to Sen in surprise. She rarely, if never, had heard Seven described as compassionate. Rude, yes, an emotionless automaton yes, as well as a slew of colorful Klingon words, yes. Never compassionate. Janeway wondered if Sen knew the meaning of the word she had picked to describe her niece.

The chancellor straightened her shoulders, and seemed to shake off the memories of the past. Her tone became less inviting and more professional.

"I don't blame you or your crew for being cautious. I've read your mission logs from the past seven years, probably more in depth than the rest of the _Calypso_ crew, given my niece is on board. You have been through a great deal."

Janeway shook her head, unsure she was as willing to excuse Seven's rudeness. She also hesitated to admit the chancellor had a point. Janeway was not ready to put her suspicions about the _Calypso_ aside just yet.

"You are a stubborn person, Captain," the Betazoid said. Janeway stopped in the middle of the hallway, realizing the woman had just read her mind again.

"I can see this situation will not work," Sen continued. Janeway was about to respond when her COMM badge chimed.

"Captain, what the _hell_ is a Cardassian doing in my Engineering!" B'Elenna's Klingon growl was unmistakable. Perhaps Chakotay had been right after all.

"On my way," Janeway said, then turned to Sen. "Excuse me, it seems I have another fire to put out. The mess hall is two decks down."

Chancellor Sen nodded, and Janeway left her in the middle of the corridor. As she hurried to Engineering, Janeway wondered at the wisdom of leaving the Betazoid free to wander the ship unescorted.


	3. From the Greek

Hi all! Thanks again for the encouragement and suggestions. I have to admit to breaking the temporal prime directive in this chapter. Neelix is still on board and Miral is already born, but it's fanfic so I hope that means I can mess with things a little. Besides, the good stuff is the J/C parts, right? Hopefully this satisfies :)

P.S. thanks CP7, I am sooo addicted to Before Dishounor, I'm lovin it!

* * *

><p>Janeway stepped into Engineering to a scene worse than the once she anticipated. Lt. Torres-Paris stood in the middle of the room directly in front of the warp core. She pointed a phaser directly at the Cardassian. The weapon had obviously been snatched from Tuvok. Had Janeway not known him better she might have perceived a scowl on those Vulcan features.<p>

"Captain, what is going on here?" B'Eleanna snarled through clenched teeth. Janeway strolled into Engineering with an easy gait, hoping her casual approached would help instill a sense of calm in the tense atmosphere.

"This is Krell from the Calypso. He is working for Starfleet," Janeway explained, wishing she had more details to fully convince herself of the Cardassian's trustworthiness.

"I don't care if he's the overlord of Grethor, he's not welcome here!" Torres protected the core as if it was her new born daughter, Miral, that stood behind her, and not the ships engine.

"Put the phaser down, lieutenant. That is an order." Janeway realized her attempt to lighten the tension had failed, so she opted for the stern approach. Her tone left no doubt as to the seriousness of her order.

B'Elenna flashed her eyes to Janeway for an instant, then focused again on Krell. There seemed to be a hint of regret in Torres' visage.

"Sorry, Captain. I can't do that." She lifted the phaser higher. "Either he goes, or I go."

Janeway stood motionless, like an unshakable lighthouse in the rough seas of B'Elenna's temper. What a lovely first impression her crew had made. Between Chakotay, Seven and now B'Elenna, she looked like an incompetent Captain with a mutinous crew. That ended now.

"You're relieved, lieutenant." Janeway said, with back straight and hands behind her. For a moment B'Elenna appeared as if she might drop the phaser. With mouth gaping open and eyes narrow, B'Elenna jeered. She maintained her grip on the phaser, but turned her attention to Janeway.

"You can't trust him Captain. I know his kind. He-"

"Now!" Janeway demanded. B'Elenna made a soft growling sound and lowered the phaser. She shoved the weapon into Tuvok's chest and stormed out of Engineering. Tuvok caught the phaser with a graceful swipe and lifted an eyebrow as he walked B'Elenna to the exit. All of Engineering had their eyes pinned to the scene.

"As you were." Janeway ordered, only softening her voice slightly. The crew snapped out of their gawking stares and hurried back to the safety of work stations.

Janeway took a step toward Krell and extended her hand.

"Once again, my apologies."

Krell lifted his chin, and looked down his thin nose at her.

"Another Maquis crew member?" He asked. Janeway nearly answered but he continued speaking. "When you're ship was lost the Maquis were still at war with my people. Their behaviors are understandable."

Janeway closed her eyes for an instant and exhaled slowly, hoping the action would help to relax her shoulders.

"Thank you, but I'm not sure I agree."

Janeway started to walk toward the core, eager to get on with the tour, but Krell remained pinned to his spot.

"I must warn you Captain. Though the Maquis were destroyed, Starfleet sympathy does not lie with them. I believe, despite their loyal service to you, the Maquis on your ship will have to face the consequences."

Janeway frowned. She tried not to think about the repercussions of that statement, personally and professionally. Once glance at Tuvok, still standing near the exit, told her he was concerned as well.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Shall we," Janeway gestured toward the core out of necessity, though she full well planned on giving him no useful information. Krell hesitated.

"I don't believe I will. You have a volatile crew, I don't want to make it worse, for either of us." He stated. Janeway nodded, but her irritation at Chakotay and B'Elenna magnified. If the Cardassian could show a little courtesy , so could her own crew.

"Very well. Let's join Chancellor Sen in the mess hall," Janeway suggested and escorted the doctor out of Engineering. Tuvok followed close behind.

* * *

><p>From the way Kathryn greeted Dr. Beverly Crusher, Chakotay knew she was a who's who among Starfleet's elite. As much as he dug into the recessed of memory, he still failed to remember a single mission or accomplishment he could credit to Dr. Crusher. Much of the knowledge he gained in his years at the Academy had been replaced by tactical data for the Maquis. After his reaction in the transporter room, he wanted to make a good impression on Crusher and Taren, for Kathryn's sake.<p>

Unfortunately the walk to Sick Bay did not prove enough time for Chakotay to accomplish his goal. He managed pleasant small talk with Taren and Crusher, but he was sure he failed to redeem his earlier behavior. Offering them an apology did cross his mind, but he could not do that, because he wasn't sorry.

"This is Sick Bay." Chakotay said as he lead them inside. "Doctor, come meet our guests."

Even though the Doctor had been overly perky lately, Chakotay was grateful to have him present.

"I'd like to introduce Captain Taren and-" Chakotay began but the Doctor already traveled the room and clasped onto Crusher's hand.

"Dr. Crusher, this is something a dream come true for me. You can't image how many times I've used one of your techniques to save the life of a crew member. In a way you could say you've helped this crew as much as I have," the Doctor rambled. Chakotay watched him continue to shake Crusher's hand. He finally stepped in and pulled the Doctor away.

"If what I've heard about you is true, I would say the credit is entirely yours," Crusher responded. Her tone was soft and polite, but she looked grateful to have her hand back.

"Well, give credit where credit is due, I always say," the Doctor replied. Chakotay sent him a look. The fact the Doctor's ego could fit into his holo-matrix often amazed Chakotay.

"From reading your logs, you've made some impressive strides," Crusher continued. The Doctor bounced a little. Obviously the praise from Crusher went straight to his head. Chakotay wondered if he needed to summon B'Elenna to add more room to the Doctor's program.

"You've read my logs?" The Doctor asked, the thrill showing in his ear to ear smile.

"Especially with regards to the Borg," Crusher finished. Chakotay was swift enough to catch a brief, unexplainable look between Crusher and Captain Taren.

"Yes, that's true. On a number of occasions I've modified Borg nano-probes to fend off some scourge of the galaxy," the Doctor still bounced a little as he spoke. Chakotay averted his gaze, wondering how long the Doctor might talk now that Crusher got him started.

"And, removing Borg implants from-" Crusher encouraged. Chakotay could see she was leading the Doctor into divulging information.

"Seven of Nine. Ah, yes. Some of my finest work," the Doctor proudly claimed. The Sick Bay door opened and Chakotay turned to see Icheb step inside.

"Doctor, I wonder if..." the boy began then stopped when he saw the strangers.

"Hello, Icheb, your timing is perfect," the Doctor said and then put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Icheb was also a Borg drone. I managed to successfully remove nearly all of his implants, since he emerged from a maturation chamber. Seven was more problematic-"

The Doctor would have continued, but Chakotay did not like the way Crusher and Taren so intently listened to his discourse on Borg physiology. Nor did he like the way they studied Icheb.

"That's fascinating Doctor, but our guests wanted a tour of Sick Bay, not a lecture," Chakotay interrupted. The Doctor's face drooped like a balloon losing air.

"You'll have to forgive Commander Chakotay," the Doctor said smugly, "His appreciation for the subtleties of Borg medical science is sorely lacking."

The Doctor's statement was far from true, but Chakotay was willing to let it pass. Captain Janeway had asked them to be on guard against anything suspicious, and the probing questions of Dr. Crusher fit the requirements. After Chakotay ended the conversation, he saw another secret glance pass between the two guests.

"Commander, I believe we are ready to depart, but I wonder, might we have a briefing tomorrow, say 0800 hours, aboard _Voyager_?" Captain Taren asked. Chakotay narrowed his eyes. Maybe they would get some answers after all.

"I don't see why not. I'll inform the Captain," Chakotay replied. Apparently satisfied with the answer Taren and Crusher started for the exit.

"Come back any time," Chakotay heard the Doctor call after them just before the door closed.

* * *

><p>After the Cardassian, Dr. Crusher and Captain Taren left, Janeway thought she might find a moment to relax. No sooner had they departed, then Chakotay requested they meet for dinner, as they did weekly, to discuss events of the day. Janeway accepted, but only because his tone inferred he had some important matters to discuss. She admitted she wanted a chance to ream him a little for his conduct with the Cardassian, and she wanted to ask him his opinion on how best to deal with B'Elenna.<p>

If not for the important matters of business, Janeway convinced herself she would have refused his dinner offer. _It didn't. And it won't_. The words had become her constant companions since Chakotay said them. She refused to help make him a liar.

Even though she set the table in her quarters the same way she had dozens of times, even though the lights glowed the same way, and the gentle hum of the engine fill the room with the usual soft rumble, Janeway felt more apprehensive and uncomfortable in her own living space than she ever had before. Chakotay had changed things between them, and no matter how much she told herself nothing would be different until they reached the white shores of Earth, everything _was_ different.

She finished replicating dinner when the chime in her quarters rang. She set the hot plate of food on the table, and burned her fingers slightly. With a start she waived her finger in the air to help cool the sting, and walked to the door. Before she opened it she took a deep breath, and much to her dismay, a small burst of joy cracked through her resolve.

When she opened the door she met Chakotay's gaze. The initial looked they exchanged was much to giddy and perhaps slightly inappropriate, but then Janeway noticed his clothes. The innocent though slightly flirtatious glance was nothing compared to his outfit.

Dressed in a brown, perfectly tailored shirt and matching slacks, with his full thick black hair shinning under the overhead lights, as cliché as it was Chakotay made her heart jump a beat. _Damn him_, she thought. She made a point to keep her uniform on, not even peeling the outer jacket has she sometimes did, this was a business dinner after all. With Chakotay dressed the way he was, looking the way he was, Janeway found it necessary to remind herself of the professional nature of their dinner meeting.

Chakotay seemed to relish her annoyed, scrutinizing stare. After a moment, he moved his hand from behind his back, and she saw a bouquet of assorted bright yellow flowers. Now she was _very_ annoyed.

"Chakotay," she protested, almost hissed. She turned her head to the side and with teeth clenched put her hand on the door frame.

"You better invite me in, before the entire crew sees," he prompted with a grin. Alarmed by his warning Janeway looked both ways down the hall, and then gestured him inside. He sort of bounded in, and she knew with no small amount of frustration he enjoyed making her squirm.

"Not funny." She said and snatched the flowers from his hand. She gave him a glare, then proceeded to find a vase.

"The meeting with the Calypso crew hardly went as well as I'd hope," she began, launching right into the important matters. As she spoke she filled a vase with water and set it on the coffee table. She heard Chakotay order something from the replicator. When she turned from the container she saw him set two wine glasses on the table. He worked to open a bottle of Champaign.

"Now you really have gone too far, Commander," she scolded, shaking her head in disapproval. They had shared a drink over dinner before, but in the new light of their relationship, Janeway fought against any little intimacy. She told herself it was out of respect for Starfleet protocol, and not out of fear.

"Ten minutes," Chakotay held out a long steamed glass to Janeway, which she refused to take. She sent him a puzzled look.

"I want ten minutes to just be ourselves, then we can talk business," he explained. Though Janeway's better judgment did not like the sound of that, she inclined her head in acceptance. She still refused to take the glass.

"This is my first engagement. You're not going to deny me one celebratory drink, are you?" A slight grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. Janeway sighed and took the glass, or rather tore it from his fingers with a scowl.

"Remind me again why I thought this could work," Janeway requested as routinely as if discussing an away mission. She held her glass up for him. Chakotay poured only a little of the liquid into the glass. At least he had not lost his sense completely. He poured himself a glass and lifted it into the air.

"To the future, and us," he said. Their glasses clinked and Janeway took a slow savory sip. She studied him as he watched her, a little more than impressed by the warmth in his eyes.

"Honestly, Chakotay, I don't know what I did to bring this about, but I hope I never stop."

"You won't," he replied, and his eyes reassured her. "It's part of who you are."

She suddenly felt the urge to tell him what was in her heart, what she had not yet admitted to herself, or allowed her mind to dwell on. Starfleet regulations, protocol, making the right decision for the well being of the crew continued to silence her tongue, as it had for seven years.

For those seven years Chakotay had been her loyal companion with little more than a look or a glance to sustain him. She had never really given him any reason to think she would be willing to marry him, and yet still he asked. Not only asked, but convinced her to agree, and from the meaning of his action now, not about to let her forget she did agree. At least, she agreed as best she could given the regulations. Regulations she honored. Regulations she lived by. Regulations she had the urge to toss out the airlock at this moment.

"I've been considering possibilities," Chakotay said, after a few minutes of blissful quiet camaraderie. Janeway looked down into her glass, and slightly moved the liquid inside, watching the bubble swirl into the center.

Chakotay set his glass next to his plate and moved to her side of the table. With each hand on the back of her chair, he moved it away from the table, and with a gentle nod encouraged her to sit. Janeway often found action could speak volumes, and at no time in her life had that been more apparent than it was now. After all they had been through, the fact Chakotay could still show his respect for her as a woman, not just a Captain, the fact he even _dared_ to made her feel...good.

She obliged his offer, fighting the urge to reprimand him for yet another intimacy. The moment was much too important to ruin with talk of regulation, and technically he had done nothing wrong. As she sat and watched him take his seat, she was overwhelmed with a measure of shyness. Shyness? What the hell was that about? Janeway had never been shy about anything in her life. Her mental reprimand helped to snap her out of the moment.

"If I do get offered a professorship in anthropology at the academy," Chakotay broke her out of her thoughts, which she was grateful for. "I was thinking we could either take an apartment close to base or if you don't mind the commute find a house on a few acres of farm land."

Chakotay filled his fork with replicated mashed potatoes and took a bite of food as he awaited Janeway's to reply. Still a little too distressed by the change in their relationship, and fighting that blast of timidity, she remained speechless. Chakotay swallowed and continued, once again filling his fork again.

"No doubt Starfleet will promote you, and until they assign Admiral Janeway...," Chakotay lifted his eyebrows. Janeway scoffed at the notion, not willing to count the proverbial chickens before they hatched. "...a new command, I think our best bet is to stay close to the city."

Janeway glanced down at her plate. She needed a moment to digest all he was saying. Eating seemed to troublesome and unimportant to bother with.

"You're awfully quiet." He gently prompted. Janeway looked back up at him. Typical male behavior. The biggest decisions of their lives in the balance and his appetite was healthy as ever. Janeway picked up her fork, and pushed the carrots around her plate.

"To be honest, I haven't given it much thought. My main objective is still to get this crew home." The simple words were the truth. Janeway watched his reaction carefully.

Chakotay nodded once, but the discouragement on his brow was plain. She had not given him much to go on, and she felt a little guilty.

"When we get home I don't intend to be idol. I'm not sure what kind of life we would have," she told him honestly, feeling the need to give him something to go on.

With Mark things had been different. Mark was content to follow her where ever she went, and his work allowed him to easy do so. Chakotay was different. He had his own agenda, his own interests and she knew putting them off to conform to her schedule would make him unhappy. He sat silently for a moment, then looked at her, with the warmth in his eyes dissipating by a fraction.

"Marriage is about compromise."

She could sense the frustration in his stiffening shoulders. His pleasant mood began to slip away, though he continued to eat his dinner.

"I suppose we did make it work on Voyager," she reasoned. Her word sounded slightly more positive than she intended. She was glad of her slip, however, because Chakotay brightened a little. She gave in and smiled at him. Her happiness was short lived however, for the words of the Cardassian lingered in her mind.

"Chakotay, I am worried about the Maquis. From something Dr. Krell said—"

"The Cardassian," Chakotay spat the word as if it tasted bitter. His mood altered fully. She figured she might as well get the unpleasantness over with.

"Yes, the Cardassian. Frankly your behavior, not to mention B'Elenna's, has made me look inept as a Captain."

Chakotay jutted his jaw outward.

"I meant to tell you, Captain Taren requested a briefing tomorrow at 0800."

She knew he changed the subject to avoid furthering their argument. She wasn't about to let him off that easily.

"I know how you feel about this situation, but I can't have you and the other Maquis pulling phasers out every time Krell comes aboard. "

"No disrespect, Kathryn, but you have no idea how the Maquis feel or how I feel. Your friends weren't slaughtered mercilessly by the Cardassians."

"Perhaps, but that does not give you the right to judge Krell. If he is on a Federation mission, under command of Starfleet, we have to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Did you know the word Calypso comes from the Greek for to hide or conceal. Have you forgotten your own suspicions?" Chakotay seemed to take some comfort in the fact. Janeway leaned back in her chair.

"No." Her reply was stern. With Taren on board, whose reputation she knew to be among the top Starfleet brass, and with the presence of the renowned Dr. Crusher, Janeway could hardly justify throwing them all in the brig without evidence of something amiss.

"There is something I need to tell you. In Sick Bay this afternoon, Taren and Dr. Crusher were pressing the Doctor for information about the Borg."

Janeway shook her head and put her hand to her temple.

"They are up to something, Chakotay I know it. I wish Starfleet never would have sent them to meet us." She muttered, more to herself than him.

"B'Elenna also wants to know when she can return to duty," Chakotay continued. Janeway rolled her eyes.

"When I'm certain she can behave herself," she replied sternly. The fact B'Elenna went to Chakotay with her problem instead of to Janeway herself, added another mark against reinstating the Klingon. It told Janeway that the chief engineer was not sorry for her behavior. After seven years, Janeway thought the divide between the Starfleet and Maquis crews had been resolved, but this Cardassian was re-opening all the old wounds.

"How did the meeting with Seven and her aunt go?" Chakotay's attempt to change the subject and relieve some of the tension only worked a little. The botched meeting between aunt and niece was not something Janeway wanted to remember in great detail. She removed her hand from her head and placed it on the table.

"Seven recited the usefulness of Betazoid drones, and then proceeded to accuse the chancellor of subterfuge and murder," Janeway answered. Chakotay hid a half grin.

"That good, huh." He said, and Janeway could not help but chuckle in exasperation.

"Not the welcome home I'd imagined."

The mood lightened then, and they enjoyed the rest of the meal, though the professional barrier that had momentarily dropped was now firmly back in place. Having finished dinner Janeway stood and gathered up the plates. Chakotay helped, and made an observation about the meeting in the transporter room.

"Oh, and that reminds me," Janeway began, "Watch your thoughts around the chancellor. I learned she is a Betazoid with some telepathic ability."

"As if we didn't have enough to worry about," Chakotay said, following Janeway to the recycler, with the remaining plates in hand. Once she disposed of her plates, he leaned slightly forward to place his on the counter. His shoulder brushed against hers, and when she turned to face him his nose was only a few centimeters from hers. Janeway nearly backed away but his eyes pinned her in place.

"It's a good thing she can't read my thoughts right now." He said. For a moment Janeway panicked. She reached out to push him away, then thought better of it. She let her fingers rest lightly on his chest.

"It's a good thing I can't read your thoughts right now," she whispered.

Chakotay started to lean toward her but stopped himself. Janeway felt as if time and space had stopped too. With every ounce of her will power, she used her hand to push him away. Though her movement was slight, he moved away from her. For half a minute, neither of them said anything.

"I think this is the last dinner we will have, until we reach Earth," she said. It was not a request.

Chakotay did not break his gaze for what seemed an eternity. _It didn't. And it won't. _She thought the promise would be undone at any second. Finally, Chakotay lowered his eyes and proceeded to the door.

As he stepped outside, Janeway felt the urge to comfort him, he looked so despondent. His broad shoulders lifted just a bit short of their normal posture, and his quiet, warm demeanor seemed diminished slightly.

"Chakotay," she said softly. He turned and looked down at her. "A house in the country or apartment in the city, it doesn't matter, as long as you're there."

Chakotay's face brightened and he remained outside her door. He looked both directions down the hallway, and she knew he was about to do something. What, she couldn't be sure. Before he carried out whatever had been on his mind, a crewman passed by in the hall. He did not glance twice at them, but his presence caused Chakotay to back away. Chakotay looked down a bit disappointedly, hesitant to leave. Without another word between them, he turned and disappeared around the corner.

The door closed and Janeway turned to face the emptiness of her quarters. She went to the yellow flowers on the coffee table, and smiled to herself and she inhaled their fragrance.

Chakotay must have spent a days worth of replicator rations. His thoughtfulness was hard to ignore. His charm was hard to ignore. Hard to ignore...his hair, his eyes, his lips..._STOP IT, KATHRYN!_ She had to mentally slap herself out of her train of thoughts.

She looked out the window at the unmoving stars, and assured herself that tomorrow the journey to home would resume.


	4. The Briefing

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the great reviews, you all rock! Sorry I missed posting a chapter last week. Sometimes life happens, dang it! Here is the latest, hope you like :)

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><p>Harry Kim hunched over the table in the mess hall cupping a mug filled with cold coffee. The Ensign did not break his brooding focus on the black pit of flavored water the inside the glass, even when his long time friend Tom Paris took the seat beside him. Tom slapped Harry on the back playfully. Harry lowered his shoulders and glowered at his friend.<p>

"Cheer up Harry. Earth is only six weeks away."

Harry continued to send Tom a warning glare that made obvious his discontent with the morning. Harry was tired, but he couldn't sleep. Earth was too close for sleep to be his companion. He was usually a morning person, but today he felt the urge to punch Tom across his slack jawed smile simply for being a morning person.

For all pretenses Tom seemed to be in a cheery mood, but upon closer study Harry could make out signs of something else. Tom's hair, matted in front and standing straight up in back, and his eyes, rimmed with red told a different story than the cock grin he wore. Harry guessed Tom must have been up all night with his new born daughter.

"Then why are we just standing still? Who cares if the _Calypso_ wants to escort us in, we've already wasted a day of travel," Harry complained. Earth was so close he could almost taste the salty San Francisco air, and yet Captain Janeway for some reason had yet to fire up the engines. Granted, Harry had made lifelong friendships aboard the ship, and grown as a person...one might even say he changed from a boy to a man, but he was ready for the journey to be over. Done. Finished. End of story. He wanted to be home.

"Relax Harry, politics take time," Tom replied. Harry hunched his shoulders and went back to staring into the pit of the coffee cup.

"All this waiting around is driving me crazy," he grumbled without looking at Tom, "Janeway should just leave the _Calypso_ behind. They are slowing us down." Yes, Harry felt sorry for himself and frankly, he didn't care who knew it. His shift on the bridge was due to start soon and he wanted to get all of his annoyance at the Captain out before he had to greet her face to face.

"If it makes you feel any better, Janeway isn't too popular out our house either," Tom offered. His tone was light and jovial and he rested his elbows on the table like an eager kid. Harry knew differently. He knew the implications of that statement.

"I heard about the blow up in Engineering," Harry finally looked up, offering his friend a glance of sympathy. Though he felt for his friend, he relished the fact his misery had found some company.

"You can imagine how B'Elenna has been. I spent the evening listen to her complain about Janeway's unfair treatment, not caring if she is, then decided she couldn't live without it. On top of that Miral was up half the night crying, and B'Elenna was MIA. I'll tell you Harry, the sooner we get home the better off my sanity will be," Tom ranted. Somehow Harry felt a little better about his problems. At least he hadn't been relieved of duty.

"B'Elenna is due for a shift in Engineering this morning. The captain still hasn't reinstated her?" Harry asked, letting his surprise show through. B'Elenna must have really pissed Janeway off this time. Tom ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"Nope."

The word hovered between them. Neither of them said anything, and finally Neelix, who had been making the rounds stopped at their table.

"Good morning, Ensign, Lieutenant," Neelix's voice was a bit too cheerful. Great, Harry thought, another morning person. He clenched his fist under the table.

"You both look a little down and with earth only 100 light years away," Neelix playfully scolded them.

The Talaxian leaned forward slightly as if trying to force his cheer through the air and onto them. Harry smirked, disturbed at having his moment of self pity with Tom disturbed.

Neelix opened his mouth, probably about to impart some ancient Talaxian words of wisdom, but a noise from behind made him stop and turn. Ensign Tal Celes jogged into the mess hall, and stopped just short of crashing into Neelix. She held a padd in one hand, and with the other used the table to stop her momentum. She rounded the chairs, stumbling slightly and then held out the padd to Harry.

"I am so relieved I found you," Celes said, in between breathes of air. "I forgot to give you these sensor readings from Astrometics yesterday, and I didn't want to have to face Seven this morning. If looks could assimilate..." she explained to Harry, waiving the padd in the air.

Harry tried to take it from her unsuccessfully. Finally she stopped talking, turned a shade of pink at the slightly rude comment and then with shoulders humbled handed Harry the information.

"Not like I need them. Janeway doesn't seem in a hurry to get moving," Harry grumbled, scrolling over the information.

"I doubt that," Celes mumbled almost too quietly to hear. Harry ignored the flighty, and in Seven's words, inefficient crew member, as did Tom. Neelix however, did not let the comment pass. Perhaps it was his Talaxian curiosity.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked with furry eyebrows lifted. The question seemed innocent enough, but Celes turned even more pink. This caught Harry's attention, he looked up from the padd to study her.

"Oh, nothing," she waived her hands and took a step backwards. Tom and Harry exchanged glances.

"Come on Celes, spill the beans," Tom said. Still, the young Ensign shook her head, refusing to speak. "That's an order," Tom added.

The tactic seemed to work. She looked between the three of them and then sat in the chair as if the action took a tremendous load off her feet.

"It's just…I mean…I thought I saw," she stumbled over the words like she had over the chair only moments ago.

"Thought you saw what?" Neelix encouraged. His friendly manager seemed to help draw the words from Celes.

"Last night, I saw the Commander going to the Captain's quarters," she finally said and sighed.

"So, what is so special about that?" Harry shrugged.

"He wasn't in uniform, and he had…" Celes looked almost guilty, like she was tattling on her best friend, "flowers."

Harry, Tom and Neelix all looked at each other. Harry dismissed the Bajorn's words right away. Obviously she was making mountains out of mole hills.

"What does that have to do with getting home?" Neelix questioned. Sometimes he could be as dense as the plasma in the warp core injectors.

Celes did not answer, but instead looked to Tom as if expecting him to make the reply.

"Nothing," Tom said. He turned to Neelix, "As Tuvok would say, the Ensign is jumping to illogical conclusions based on limited data. The flowers were probably from the crew of the _Calypso_, as part of the welcome," Tom said.

"And the Captain and Commander occasionally meet after hours to discuss personnel matters," Harry added.

"Probably talking about B'Elenna," Tom scoffed and then stood up. "And speaking of my wife, Harry we better get to the bridge before Janeway relieves us too."

Harry stood with padd in hand and gave one last glance to Celes. She had sunk down into the chair, and Harry had a hard time reading her expression. Somehow, despite their reassurances Celes looked unconvinced. Harry thought about mentioning the incident to the Captain, as unfounded rumors had a way of blowing out of proportions on a ship so small.

On second thought he dismissed the idea, concluding the fact was too insignificant to really do any damage. The thought of the Captain and Commander as anything more than co-workers and friends just wasn't plausible. Harry knew them both to well to think anything differently. He took one last sip of cold coffee and head to the bridge with Tom.

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><p>Janeway went to the briefing room about fifteen minutes before the <em>Calypso<em> crew was to arrive. She was anxious to get the ship moving again, and she was in enough in touch with her crew to know they were sitting on the edge of their seats. Harry especially seemed anxious to get back underway, though he tried to hide his irritation about the situation, she saw right through him on her way past his console.

Janeway should not have been surprised to see Chakotay already in the room when she entered. After their dinner last night, she knew getting home meant even more to the two of them now. Their future together depended on it.

Life for Captain Janeway would be at a close, and life for Kathryn could finally begin. She admitted to herself that idea was extremely appealing, and it helped her sympathize with the crew more than she would have liked. She wished Captain Taren had made the briefing for 0700 so they could start home all the sooner.

"Good morning," Chakotay said softly. He was standing next to the window, and looked over his shoulder at her. His dark hair caught faint flicks of light from the outside stars. It was a pleasant sight to be greeted with first thing in the morning. She found herself thinking she could get used to it.

"Commander," she responded, hoping to bring more of the professional into the room with the use of his title. The simple words he uttered came with an all too comfortable tone.

Janeway rounded the table and sat in the chair at the head of the room. She ignored Chakotay in favor of reviewing a padd. Not that she wasn't fully aware of Chakotay's presence. He sat in the chair next to her. His hand on the table. The smell of fresh rainfall she came to recognize as his fill the room. She was a little too aware.

They sat in silence for about ten minutes. The only sound was the scrolling of information across the padds they both read.

"After the briefing, I have something for you," Chakotay said, without looking up from the information he was reviewing.

Janeway let a small smile creep through, but did not dare a look at him. Given the circumstance he could be referring to any number of items. After the flowers last night, Janeway's curiosity got the better of her. She was about to try and pry the information from him, but the doors opened.

Captain Taren stepped inside, followed by Krell, Chancellor Sen and Dr. Crusher.

"Good morning," Dr. Crusher said as she rounded the table to the right. She sat next to Janeway and Krell followed her. Taren and the Chancellor came down the other side of the table and the chancellor sat next to Chakotay. Taren remained standing.

"Captain Janeway," he began and his official tone made Janeway sit up a little straighter in her chair. He wore a grave expression, and the wrinkles of his brow seemed to strain as he spoke.

"After long deliberation the senior staff has decided to brief you on the nature of our mission. You have Chancellor Sen to thank. She argued very convincingly that you should be told."

Chakotay's surprise was apparent when he looked from Captain Taren to her.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to dismiss your first officer," Taren continued.

Janeway nodded reluctantly and sent Chakotay a glance. He hesitated, obviously disliking the situation. She could not tell if his frown was out of concern for her or irritation at being left out. Within a few seconds he got to his feet. He sent a warning glare to the Cardassian and then left the room. Taren must have seen Janeway's uneasy with the situation.

"When you learn the nature of our mission, I think you will understand the need for secrecy."

"Maybe," Janeway replied, doing her best to resign herself to Starfleet policy on secret missions. Taren sent a glance to Sen, who inclined her head. Her dark eyes must have told him to proceed.

"As you probably guessed, our mission has to do with the Borg."

Janeway set her hands on the table, and squared her shoulders.

"Yes." She said simply. Taren looked to Crusher for an instant, then back to Janeway.

"Before I can tell you anything you must agree to let Dr. Crusher inoculate you."

Crusher pulled a hypo-spray from the medical kit she had brought into the room. Janeway narrowed her eyes.

"The entire crew of the _Calypso_ has undergone this process. This will keep you from being assimilated, so the Borg can't gain knowledge of our mission," Taren explained. Janeway studied the hypo-spray in Crushers hand. The Captain of _Calypso_ was playing the secret mission aspect mighty big.

"By killing the messenger? That is what happened to your crew. They weren't assimilated, they gave their lives to protect the mission."

Taren, as well as the other humanoids in the room, entered into a sort of trance of sadness. Janeway shook her head slowly with the realization the _Calypso_ was on a suicide mission.

"Do it," Janeway ordered Dr. Crusher. Crusher faintly offered an expression of support and placed the hypo-spray to Janeway's neck. Once the task had been completed she returned to her chair. Taren continued to stand at the front of the room.

"Our mission has failed. It took many years, and advocates like Chancellor Sen to convince Starfleet to listen Krell's plan. But, they did not agree to supply the crewmen and resources until they learned of your Seven of Nine."

Janeway sent a surprised look to the Chancellor.

"I knew she was a Borg drone severed from the collective, I never bothered to look beyond that. Only in passing a few weeks ago did I learn her true origins," Sen explained. She must have been reading Janeway's thoughts again. Betazoids.

"What is the nature of your mission?" Janeway could not stand the unknown any longer.

Taren gestured to Krell. The Cardassian stood and the Captain sat next to Sen.

"A group of scientists gathered from all realms of the Alpha Quadrant devised a way to sever hundreds of Borg drones from the collective all at once, without out being detected." He paused, and Janeway was grateful. She needed a moment to let the information seep in. "Only myself, and due to unfortunately circumstances, Chancellor Sen possess the knowledge of how exactly to do so."

"You said the mission failed," Janeway interrupted, she directed her question to Taren. "Why?"

Krell answered.

"The Borg unexpectedly adapted to one phase of our plan. The consequences were…" he looked down burdened by the loss of life. "Tragic."

"Starfleet has ordered us home," Dr. Crusher interjected. "Our mission is considered a failure, and the chances of Starfleet attempting this again are almost nonexistent."

"And you think _Voyager_ can help?" Janeway inferred. She had not yet decided how she felt about the possibility. Her crew had been through seven years of hell in the Delta Quadrant, a suicide mission did not seem like the fairest of welcome homes.

"The scientists with the necessary skills to perform the mission all perished. Of all crew members that went aboard the cube, only Krell survived," the captain said to Janeway. She lifted her eyebrows and looked to Krell. Perhaps Chakotay's paranoia was affecting her too, but she found his lone survival suspicious.

"I believe, with a few key crew members aboard your ship, this mission could succeed. We could free hundreds of Borg from the collective, and perhaps, in time, many more," Krell continued to stand, and there was passion in his words.

"That is the reason for the four medical bays, and all the storage space…" Janeway said more to herself than anyone else.

"I'm the only human doctor aboard, but we have six Mark 2's, enhanced with knowledge of Borg implants," Crusher added. "I was chosen for this mission because of my experience with the Borg. My son and Jean-Luc were not pleased, but I believe this mission can succeed."

Janeway took Dr. Crusher's words gravely. This was a woman who had served on the _Enterprise_, familiar with the dangers of the Borg, and an accomplished medical doctor. Still maintaining her perfect posture, Janeway looked to Krell.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked. He handed her a padd from across the table.

"I've selected three of your crewmembers to infiltrate the Borg cube, as well as you, Captain. You are an accomplished scientist, and I believe with your experience battling the Borg this mission has an even greater chance of success."

Janeway let her eyes scroll over the names on the list. Of course, Seven of Nine was there, as well as Tuvok and B'Elenna Torres.

"You realize this is a suicide mission. Last time eight of our scientists went aboard, along with twenty nine trained Starfleet soldiers." Krell clenched his fist. "They were all killed."

Janeway set the padd down and leaned back in the chair with her arms stretched in front of her.

"My crew has been through a lot. How can I ask them to do this, when we are so close to the end of our journey?"

Krell looked angry but Captain Taren is the one who answered.

"It is a lot to expect, Captain. And I wouldn't blame you for refusing, but, if we don't try again and succeed, we may never stop the Borg."

The Chancellor, who had not said a word up to this point, made eye contact with Janeway. Her dark eyes though still warm, burned with deep ardor.

"Borg attacks in the Alpha Quadrant have increased. Betazed is nearly on the front lines now. We must find a better way to fight back." The chancellor's words sent a chill down the length of the room. Janeway had no idea the situation was so dire. From the last accounts, the _Enterprise_ had managed to push the Borg from the Alpha Quadrant.

Janeway considered the decision carefully. Even if she agreed, she was surely sealing the fate of three of her most trusted officers, not to mention, three very dear friends.

"I would like some time to consider the matter," Janeway said. Krell still did not appear pleased but he said nothing.

"Until you decide we ask you share this information with no one." Captain Taren said. She nodded and Taren got to his feet. The rest of the assortment of humanoids each followed his lead except for the chancellor. She waited until the last of the council had exited.

"Captain, I wonder if you might grant me permission to stay aboard," she asked quietly.

Betazoids normally made Janeway slightly uncomfortable, but there was something she liked about this one, though she could not pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Granted. However," Janeway gave her a hard stare, "Seven is a unique individual. Earning her trust is not easy."

The betazoid lifted her chin.

"We shall see."


	5. Decisions

Hi all! Thanks for the reviews, you know I love 'em! Chapter 5 has arrived :)

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><p>In the two hours since the briefing Janeway returned to her ready room, spoke to no one, made herself a cup of coffee, and found a comfortable position on the couch. She always thought best when she was looking at the stars. Tough decisions weighed on her mind to the extent she almost felt their physical presence.<p>

Her cup had long been emptied when she heard the door chime. She knew, rather than suspected, Chaktoay had come to check on her.

"Come in," she said, not bothering to stand, turn to the door, or break her gaze from the outside window. She heard someone enter, but when Chakotay did not speak, Janeway finally did look over her shoulder.

Standing before the desk, looking like a lost lamb in the wilderness, Ensign Celes opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. Janeway might have immediately stood at attention, but the Ensign looked like any sudden movement might send her scurrying to a corner.

"It's alright Ensign, despite the rumors, I don't bite," Janeway said. The Ensign nodded, but did not laugh. Ever since the away mission Janeway embarked on with her "lost sheep" Celes, William Telfer and Mortimer Harren, she felt the three had better adapted to life on _Voyager_. Perhaps she had been mistaken.

"I brought this from Astrometics, Seven said she was too busy to deliver it herself," Celes explained, then added under her breath, "plus I think she wanted to get rid of me."

Janeway extended her hand, encouraging the Ensign to bring the padd to where she sat on the couch. The Ensign seemed to rally her courage by squaring her shoulders and then with a heavy steps walked to Janeway. The Captain took the padd and began to read, feeling Celes looking down at her with more than a little uneasiness.

"Have a seat," Janeway offered. Celes hesitated for so long, Janeway wondered if she would take the offer. Finally, Tal Celes sat down, a solid meter away from Janeway. The way her back barely touched the cushion reminded Janeway of the first time Seven of Nine ever sat next to her.

Though Janeway read the padd, out of the corner of her eye she saw Celes clasp her hands together, probably to keep Janeway from noticing how nerves where racking her motor functions.

"Seven sent me back up data to support her earlier theories about the _Calypso_," Janeway said to herself. She attempted to take another sip of coffee but the mug was empty.

"Oh, let me," Celes volunteered, her tone a bit too loud and eager. Janeway handed her the glass, figuring the action would help to put the young woman more at ease. Indeed, she seemed grateful for the opportunity to walk to the replicator.

"What do you think of the _Calypso_," Janeway questioned.

"Me?" Celes looked shocked. She held the new filled mug with both hands, careful not to spill on her way back to the couch.

"I assume you have an opinion," Janeway's tone was slightly teasing but the purpose of her question was a serious one. If Janeway agreed to the mission she would be, perhaps, sentencing to death crewmen like Tal Celes.

Janeway had risked lives before, but this close to home, with the spirits of the crew so high, she did not think she could do it. Celes, and the rest of the crew, including herself, had put their lives on hold for seven years, and no matter which way she looked at it, Janeway blamed herself. Her mistake so long away with the Caretaker now was rectified.

She did not think she could cut short the lives of her loyal friends and coworkers after they had dedicated their lives to getting home.

"Well...," Celes started, unsure of herself. She sat down again, this time a bit more at ease. Her back almost touched the cushion.

"It's nice of them to escort us, but I am soooo excited to get home. I hope they don't slow us down too much," Celes replied, then studied the Captain as if looking for confirmation she gave the correct answer. Janeway did take another sip from the mug this time, then set the mug on the coffee table. She leaned back into the cushion with one elbow over the back of the couch, and looked out the window.

"If we had the chance to save hundreds of lives, perhaps more, but at the risk of never seeing home again, even when we're this close," Janeway turned to Celes and looked at her directly, "would you be willing to take that risk?"

Celes inhaled deeply glanced down for an instant, then looked back up with more confidence than Janeway had ever seen in the young woman's eyes.

"Yes."

Janeway lifted an eyebrow, surprised by the Ensigns answer. Celes must have taken Janeway's reaction to be a wish for more explanation.

"One thing I've learned serving aboard _Voyager_ is that opportunities never come twice. I'm just glad we've served under a Captain with the sense to recognize that, even when the rest of us didn't."

"Thank you Ensign, and for what it's worth, when we do get home, I'm recommending you for a post aboard Deep Space Six," Janeway said. Now it was Celes' turn to look surprised.

"They could you someone with your unique ability to look at a situation from a different angle."

The Ensign seemed to sit up a little straighter. The compliment did much to build her confidence, Janeway could see.

"What will you do when we get home?" Celes answered, then seemed a bit self conscious. Janeway exhaled and tilted her head to the side.

"I'm not sure yet," she answered truthfully. Celes stood up rather abruptly, but Janeway followed her actions. She walked with her to the door. Before she exited, Celes turned to Janeway.

"I hope it involves Commander Chakotay, you two make such a cute couple," she said, very fast and with a nervous grimace. The words were sincere but Celes high tailed it out of the room. Janeway narrowed her eyes, but did not have the chance to find out exactly what Celes meant by that. She made a mental note to explore the dangers of that situation later.

Janeway returned to her desk and opened a channel to the _Calypso_.

"Captain Taren, this is Janeway. I've made my decision."

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><p>B'Elenna was more than a little pleased she had been invited to the senior staff meeting. Janeway had personally contacted her to ask her to come, though the captain had yet to give official word that B'Elenna's commission had been restored.<p>

B'Elenna hurried to catch up with Tom. She left Miral with Ensign Wildman and Naomi, who expressed her excitement at getting to help babysit.

Tom did not say anything as she feel into step beside him. She knew her Klingon temper had been flaring the last few days, between the Cardassian and Janeway, and to his credit he had been holding up pretty well, if not a little overly quiet.

By the time they reached the briefing room, Tuvok, Harry, Neelix and Seven of Nine had already arrived. Everyone but Seven had taken their seats. B'Elenna also noticed an attractive middle aged woman she had never before seen. With little other choice B'Elenna took a seat next to the stranger, and Tom followed her, sitting on the other side.

When Chakotay entered with the Doctor following close behind he looked rather anxious. His expression made B'Elenna wonder if he knew what the meeting was about. There was some light chatter but as soon as Janeway entered, bringing beside her a woman with reddish hair, the talk stopped.

"I'm going to get straight to the point," Janeway began from the front of the room. She leaned over the table with her hands on the flat surface. "The mission of the _Calypso_ is highly classified, and because it involves the Borg, before I can tell you anything you much each make a decision."

Janeway nodded, and the woman with the red hair pulled out a hypo-spray.

"Dr. Crusher has developed a treatment that will make it impossible for the Borg to assimilate this information, however, you should know if the Borg do attempt to assimilate you, this will cause instantaneous death."

Janeway made eye contact with each member of the senior staff.

"I have already been inoculated. Once you've made your decision we can continue with the briefing. I want to say for the record, if any of you wish to bow out I will not think any less of you."

Dr. Crusher started around the table, with Chakotay first. He nodded in acceptance and she pressed the instrument to his neck. Tuvok, Harry and Neelix all accepted the treatment. Seven also nodded but Dr. Crusher did not administer the shot.

"You're Borg physiology would reject the treatment and kill you. I can't inoculate you," Crusher explained. Seven looked at the Captain.

"It's alright Seven, we've discussed your unique situation. You may stay," Janeway told her. B'Elenna could not help but smirk. Seven always got special treatment. Little Borg kiss up.

"The same goes for you, Doctor," Janeway said to the hologram. He nodded.

Before Tom accepted he looked at B'Elenna. She lifted her shoulders.

"Might as well, I for one am curious," B'Elenna said to him, then she turned to the Captain. "If I am still a senior officer that is." She knew the comment was out of line, but she also knew pressing Janeway now in front of everyone would force her to make a decision.

"We will discuss that later," Janeway replied. B'Elenna jutted her jaw to the side and let out a sharp irritated breath. She turned back to Tom who nodded to Crusher and they both underwent the treatment.

Once the process had been completed, Crusher sat down next to Neelix. B'Elenna listened to Janeway then, with hostility. The Captain still had not reinstated her, and made her look like a fool for asking in front of the entire senior staff.

"The _Calypso_'s primary mission is to sever as many Borg drones from the collective as possible. They intend to remove the implants and rehabilitate the drones on the way back to the Alpha Quadrant. The more difficult cases will be put into stasis in the cargo holds until they can be transported safely back home."

B'Elenna could hardly believe what she was hearing. Janeway looked like she might continue, but B'Elenna spoke up.

"That's not possible," she said simply. Based on her, she was pleased to admit, extensive knowledge of Borg technology, what Janeway suggested was nothing sort of insane.

"The mission failed once before, but Captain Taren and Chancellor Sen," Janeway inclined her head to the petite woman next to B'Elenna, "believe with our help they can succeed."

The senior staff all looked to Janeway, questioning her words.

"I've been briefed on Dr. Krell's plan, and I-"

"Dr. Krell?" B'Elenna growled. She received a glare from Janeway, and Tom put his hand on her arm. She was grateful for the action, because she felt if not for his steadying touch she might have flung her chair back at stormed out of the room.

"I realize this will be difficult for some crewmembers to accept, this close to home. That is why I am making this mission voluntary," Janeway continued, her tone softening just a little. The admission from the captain made B'Elenna's rage subside a little.

"Talk to your people. If we have enough support, then we will proceed with the mission." Janeway gave the order, but from the way she spoke B'Elenna could tell she was sure enough crewmembers would agree. B'Elenna shook her head. She did not think the captain was right. She knew her Maquis friends well enough to know they would never go along with the plan of a Cardassian. The chief engineer glanced at Chakotay, but he was looking out the window, obviously contemplating something disturbing.

"Dismissed," Janeway said. Tom was the first to stand, and B'Elenna followed her husband's lead.

"Seven, B'Elenna, Mr. Tuvok," the captain only called the three names. The three of them exchanged glances, and B'Elenna sat back down. She looked to Tom and he shrugged his shoulders. He seemed reluctant to leave, but not as reluctant and Chakotay. He and Janeway stared each other down with such intensity it made B'Elenna fidget a little in her chair.

Finally, after what seemed like a never ending nano second, Chakotay left the room. B'Elenna noticed Chancellor Sen remained next to her, not exiting with the others.

"I'll be straightforward," Janeway began, and the gravity of her voice made B'Elenna inhale. She knew Janeway well enough to sense when a torpedo was about to be deployed.

"Krell has selected the four of us in this room to attempt his plan on the Borg cube," Janeway made eye contact with each of them in turn. "Out of eight scientists that attempted it before, only Krell survived."

The four of them let the heavy statement linger in the air. B'Elenna was the one to break the silence.

"You want us to risk our lives for some Cardassian plan?" She growled the question.

"Not just risk your lives, very likely lose them," Janeway replied.

"But you would be saving countless others," the chancellor finally said something. B'Elenna looked at her, surprised to find the little thing could actually talk.

"How do we know it's not a trick?" B'Elenna asked. Instead of receiving another angry glare from the captain, Janeway's eyes actually softened into what almost appear to be sympathy.

"I realize what I'm asking, B'Elenna, and you don't have to agree." Janeway turned her attention to Tuvok and Seven. The Borg answered first.

"I will comply. A chance to free some of the drones that I help assimilate constitutes an acceptable risk," Seven answered. Still the perfect little drone, B'Elenna thought with annoyance.

"A logical choice. As a great Vulcan officer once said, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Tuvok answered.

B'Elenna rolled her eyes, unable to look at either of them. Why was it she was always the dissenting voice in the room? For seven years she had tried her best to win the captain's trust and respect, and after all that time she was still no more than the rebellious Maquis fighter.

Janeway turned back to B'Elenna.

"Would you excuse us?"

B'Elenna gritted her teeth as the other's left the room. Great. One on one time to be lectured by the captain. This day just kept getting better.

"We need you B'Elenna. Krell believes, as do I, your skill is required for this mission to succeed," Janeway explained. B'Elenna avoided eye contact with her.

"I'm sorry I can't agree as mindlessly as the two logical lollypops," B'Elenna flippantly remarked. "I will not follow the orders of a Cardassian."

Janeway rounded the table and gently sat in the chair next to B'Elenna. She regarded her silently for a second or two, and then in a bold manner she spoke.

"I made the mistake of telling Chakotay I understand how the Maquis feel. I don't," Janeway admitted. B'Elenna lifted and eyebrow, knowing full well there was more to that story. Janeway almost never admitted when she was wrong.

"But when all hell breaks loose on that cube, I can't think of anyone I would rather have around."

B'Elenna straightened her shoulders, and felt a little of her resolve slipping away in the wake of the captain's confident words. B'Elenna opened her mouth to speak, but found the words hard to say.

"Do you think..." she hesitated. Janeway lifted her chin, giving B'Elenna the encouragement she needed to continue. "Do you think this really is a suicide mission?"

"Perhaps, the," a grin tugged at Janeway's lips, "logical lollypops agreed so quickly because they do not have as much to lose."

Janeway's expression turned serious and she put a hand on B'Elenna's arm.

"If only one of us does survive, I will do everything in my power to make sure it's you. For Tom and Miral's sake," Janeway answered.

"I didn't mean that, Captain," B'Elenna replied, although deep down she knew that is exactly what she meant.

"I know," Janeway answered, although B'Elenna knew Janeway knew that is what she meant.

"Dr. Krell is coming aboard in a few hours to brief you, Seven and Tuvok. Try to be on your best behavior," Janeway ordered. B'Elenna stood up and proceeded toward the door.

"And lieutenant," Janeway called after her, "report to Engineering. I believe this is your duty shift."

B'Elenna could not help smile, grateful to be an officer once more. As she headed for Engineering she fingered the tiny metal orbs on the collar of her neck. She never imaged those Starfleet pins could mean so much to her.

* * *

><p>Seven of Nine exited the briefing room to find Ensign Kim and Lt. Paris in the corridor still engaged in what humans referred to as "small talk." She passed them by with a look of slight distain, for she found such activities to be an inefficient use of time. Their review of all the information presented in the briefing was pointless, and Seven knew her time would be better spent in Astrometrics. Given the nature of the mission they were about to embark on, Seven wanted to be as prepared as possible.<p>

"Seven of Nine," she heard a voice say, but Seven did not turn to look at her pursuer. Instead, she continued her rapid pace down the corridor. After a moment or two the betazoid woman caught up to her. Seven hoped this "small talk" session would not delay her too much from reaching her destination.

"Chancellor," Seven greeted, if her monotone acknowledgment could be considered a greeting.

"I wonder if I might have a word with you this evening," the betazoid asked.

"Regarding the mission? I believe Captain Janeway-" Seven started, but the woman held up her hand.

"No, this is a personal matter."

Seven hated that word. Personal. Personal matters always proved difficult. She rarely understood them, and they made her uncomfortable. Seven stopped her journey down the corridor and turned to face the chancellor. Deliberately, Seven towered over her, trying to use her height to gain control of the situation.

"I do not believe I have time," Seven responded.

"Make time," the chancellor said softly. Seven tilted her head to the side, and in order to terminate the present conversation more quickly she complied.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Meet me in the mess hall at, say, 2100 hours?" the betazoid suggested. Seven nodded only once, inhaled in irritation, and then continued her rapid course down the corridor. Much to her relief, the betazoid did not follow.

* * *

><p>When Janeway returned to her ready room, she was not surprised to find Chakotay waiting there for her. His back was toward her as she entered, his hands clasped behind him. He turned and looked over his shoulder at her. From his tense posture , she felt the need to steel herself as she walked to her desk. She gave him little more than brief nod to acknowledge his presence, then sat down and studied a padd.<p>

"Permission to speak freely, Captain," he asked. He moved to stand in front of the desk. She looked up at him from her chair, sensing with no small amount of trepidation exactly what he was about to say.

"Granted," she said in a soft, very un-captain like tone.

"Do you really think this mission is a wise idea? We are only a few klicks from the Alpha Quadrant, is now the best time to risk the lives of the crew?" Chakotay had unclasped his hands and as he spoke he place on one each side of her desk. By the time he finished he was leaning over her. His height and commanding presence were difficult to ignore.

"This mission is volunteer," she started to defend but Chakotay cut her off.

"No, it isn't. This crew would follow you into Borg space if you ask them too. Damn it, Kathryn, they already have," Chakotay removed his hands from the table. "And they will follow you now, even though their hearts are already in the Alpha Quadrant."

Janeway, in a very calculated move, kept her eyes averted from Chakotay, but with his last words she snapped her attention back to him. She knew what he was really talking about, what he was really upset about. She slowly stood up from her chair, and met his intense glare with her own.

"Theirs or yours," she asked. The look of shock on Chakotay's face slowly turned into a deep sort of anger she rarely saw in him. His jaw jutted forward and he let out an heavy breath.

"I've known you for a long time," he said while shaking his head, "but it's hard for me to believe you would throw that in my face."

Before Chakotay even continued, Janeway felt a tingle of guilt creep up her neck. Perhaps she was out of line, but with the change in their relationship she could no longer be sure of his motives.

"I've always played devil's advocate to you, Kathryn, because no one else on this ship dares to or can." Chakotay's dark eyes turned even a shade darker he approached and stared her down, with a fury that made her heart jump to her throat.

"If you honestly think I would let my personal feelings for you interfere with something as important as the lives of this crew, then I suddenly understand why you've been so reluctant to peruse a relationship. You're opinion of me can't be very high."

Janeway kept her eyes locked with Chakotay's for what seemed like ten light years. She had to decide exactly how she was going to respond. She wanted to yell at him, and tell him it should be obvious just how highly she regarded him, but at the moment there were more important matters to discuss.

"I have given each member of this crew free agency to choose, I can't do anymore than that, not with what is at stake," Janeway finally answered. Chakotay took one step away from her, but did not break his gaze.

"You once promised to get them all home. Have you forgotten that? We could lose a lot of good people this time. The _Calypso_ already has."

Janeway gritted her teeth and then dropped her shoulders, lifting her chin.

"I know that, Chakotay. This afternoon I practically pronounced sentence on Tuvok, Seven and B'Elenna." Janeway felt a sting of tears but blinked them away in one quick motion, although she knew Chakotay saw the momentary crack in her resolve.

"But, if we have the chance to stop the Borg threat, to return hundreds of drones to their families, I can't walk away from that," she finished. Chakotay studied her gravely.

"You never falter from your principles," Chakotay said in an almost reverent tone. Janeway felt a sense of relief, knowing she would not be fighting him every step of the way on this mission. She had done so occasionally in the past, and recalled with no small amount of clarity just how unpleasant that could be.

"But I know how much you care about each member of this crew," Chakotay said with a edge of caution, "I just hope you can live with the consequences."

There seemed to be a sudden drop in the temperature in the room, although Janeway knew environmental controls were working perfectly. She hoped Chakotay was merely overreacting to the situation, but her gut told her he wasn't.

"That is my concern, Commander. I'll note your objections in my log," she told him, then sat down. Without looking at him she said, "dismissed." She knew he lingered for a few seconds, but she really did not want to face him again. He left the room, and she was alone. She had spent most of their journey alone. If she had to die alone as well, then so be it.


	6. Free Minds

Here is chapter 6. For chapters 7, 8, and 9 I am hoping to upload them quickly, within a day or two of each other, in order to keep the momentum going. So in the next week or so there should be quite a few updates. As always, thank so much for reading!

* * *

><p>Seven of Nine let out a small huff of annoyance before she stepped into the mess hall. With a brief clandestine tilt of her head, she checked to make sure her atypical display of emotion had gone un-noticed. From her peripheral version she learned no one was in the hall behind her. Satisfied, she lifted her head and marched into the mess hall with characteristic self assurance.<p>

With calculated precise movements she scanned each table in Neelix's domain, until she spotted the betazoid chancellor. Before she could proceed to the table in the furthest corner, Neelix stepped into her path.

"Ah, Seven, what brings you hear this time of the evening?" The Talaxian asked. Though he carried his usual good humor, Seven could sense his apprehension. She knew the upcoming assignment against the Borg would change the behavior of many crew members. She often observed such phenomena in human conduct before particularly dangerous missions.

"I am here to see the chancellor," Seven told him. From her lessons with the doctor she knew walking away from Neelix without answering would be impolite, but that is what her instincts told her to do. Not that she wanted to be rude, or even that she was annoyed with Neelix, but the way his furry eyebrows lifted in curiosity was precisely the kind of attention she wanted to avoid.

"About the mission?" He asked, his voice little more than a whisper. Seven exhaled and briefly glanced away from him.

"If you'll excuse me," she said as politely as she could. To her satisfaction, Neelix seemed to understand. He nodded and attempted a smile, but his apprehension caused the action to fail.

Seven left him wiping down the counter and proceeded to the table in the far corner of the room. The chancellor watched Seven approach, and her eyes, though as dark as those of the Borg Queen, made Seven feel vastly different. There was something intriguing and calming about the woman's eyes. Seven felt the eyes conveyed some strong emotion but she could not identify it.

"Seven," the chancellor softly greeted. She removed her hand from the mug and gestured toward the chair. "Please."

Whenever Seven particularly dreaded a social encounter, she found the urge to remain standing nearly impossible to resist. Such was the case now. Even ounce of her will power when in to making her knees bend and sliding into the seat across from the chancellor.

"You wished to speak with me," Seven curtly began. She wanted to get this over with. The briefing with Krell was scheduled for 0630 tomorrow morning aboard the _Calypso_, and Seven had mountains of work to go through before then. Whatever the plan to free the Borg drones, Seven knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the plan would fail. She knew it would be up to her, and her alone, to help them succeed this time. Her knowledge of the Borg, of any subject for that matter, greatly surpassed that of any other living individual.

Some may have called Seven's assurance in herself arrogance, but Seven was still much to naive about human emotion to recognize such a trait, much less correct it.

"Your captain told me you were a unique individual, Seven of Nine," the chancellor said in a soft even tone.

"I do not wish to be rude," Seven began, squaring her shoulders, "but I have a considerable amount of work to complete before tomorrow's briefing."

"As do I," Chancellor Sen replied. The reaction cause Seven to bristle.

"Then why are we wasting time here?" The question came out more like a demand. If there was one thing above all Seven could not tolerate, it was inefficient use of time.

The chancellor did not respond for precisely eleven seconds. Seven's internal clock was impeccable, but she thought those eleven seconds seemed much longer. In the space of time the chancellor looked down, obviously contemplating something, then she looked back to Seven. Her dark eyes studied Seven for eight of the eleven seconds.

"Did you know, your mother had a brother named Eric?"

Seven slightly lifted her eyebrows.

"Perhaps, but the information is irrelevant," she answered. Chancellor Sen leaned forward in her chair, but Seven did not recoil. Instead of being invasive, the moment was gentle and welcoming.

"I was married to Eric Hansen for seventeen years, until his death."

If the chancellor was telling the truth then Seven realized that made her-

"Your aunt," Sen finished Seven's thought.

Before any other thought Seven immediately wondered if the captain knew about the situation. This could possibly cause complications with the Borg mission, not on Seven's part, of course. Seven often noticed familial relationships made humans act in strange ways, and she suddenly became concerned the chancellor's judgment might be impaired by their family connection.

"You bury your emotions deep. I've noticed that about your captain as well. I suppose it has kept you alive...but," Chancellor Sen did not finish her sentence, but instead brought the mug to her lips. Seven watched her, realizing for the first time since she sat down that the betazoid might have been reading her thoughts. The feeling unnerved Seven so much she felt a small shutter course through her.

"Yes, Captain Janeway had the same reaction," the empath said. Seven clenched her jaw.

"I do not believe I like telepaths. Reading my thoughts and emotions is a violation of my individuality," Seven's tone was not kind. For the betazoid's intrusion, Seven felt justified in being rude, lesson from the Doctor or not.

"I don't suppose you will believe me, but I haven't read your mind since you sat down."

She was right, Seven did not believe her.

"Well, maybe just once." The betazoid's lips formed into a small smile, that Seven had to admit seemed sincere. Seven started to leave but the chancellor stopped her with a soft word.

"Please."

Seven stood, but did not leave the table.

"Please, let me give you something, Annika."

"I prefer to be called Seven of Nine," was the answer from the once drone. The chancellor stood, and Seven for the first time realized how small the betazoid really was. For a person of such high ranking official she did not cut an imposing visage. Although, she was striking in other ways.

"Seven," the chancellor corrected. "It's in my temporary quarters aboard _Voyager_."

Sen started to turn but Seven did not follow her. The chancellor, in a voice only loud enough for Seven to hear, tilted her head up.

"As we are all about to perhaps meet our fates, the least you can do is grant the dying wish of one of your only living relatives," Sen told Seven. The logic of the statement was flawed, but Seven was curious. Seven nodded curtly once and then followed the chancellor out of the mess hall.

Within three minutes they arrived at the temporary quarters Janeway had assigned Chancellor Sen. The betazoid stepped inside and Seven followed, albeit reluctantly. The lights were soft inside the room, much like the appearance of the chancellor. The room smelled like her too, peppermint and pine. The smell struck Seven and oddly familiar.

"You lived in a forest," Seven said not moving from just inside the door. The chancellor stopped her movement toward the sofa, as if frozen in time by some spatial anomaly.

"No," she answered. Seven did not know why, but she felt a little disappointed at not finding a connection with her relative. Still, the smell triggered some memory.

"But, the only time you and I ever met was near a forest on Betazed." The chancellor did not move from her spot, and Seven also remained immobile. "Your parents stopped to see us on their way out of the Alpha Quadrant. We met them at a quiet, lovely little park."

Seven suddenly felt a bright flash of memory. She could see the grass, the trees, the swing set. The smell of pine filled the air.

"They let you run, play. It was the last time you were under sky in the Alpha Quandrant," Sen narrowed her eyes at Seven. "Do you remember any of it?"

Seven unclasped her hands from behind her and took a step forward. The chancellor sat on the sofa, and Seven did the same. If Seven had not been busy trying to uncover her buried memories of the past she might have resisted the invitation to sit. As it was, her curiosity, her need to know her past drove her to behavior she would normally avoid.

"There was a swing...the paint was flaking away," Seven could see the swing, could feel the way the wind felt in her hair as a man push her. The man...her father.

"Go on," the chancellor encouraged. Seven was not looking at the betazoid, she was focused on a spot on the floor. Her shoulders tensed as she tried to bring back more of the image. The swing faded away, and Seven saw two men arguing in the shade of a magnificent tree.

"They were arguing," Seven said to no one in particular.

"Your uncle and your father," Sen prompted. Yes, she was right. Seven could see them clearly now.

"They were arguing about me..." Seven was bombarded with another image. An image undeniable. A small, beautiful betazoid with a small, kind smile put her hand on Annika's head in a particularly loving, protective way.

"You," Seven spat the word like an accusation. She did not like feeling immediate affection for a woman she had just met. Seven distrusted her memory, and therefore her feelings. She stood up and took a few steps away from the couch, needing to put some space between her and the betazoid.

The memory continued to evolve. Annika was upset about something in the forest, but her aunt...Aunt Leena made it all better. The image shifted again, and this time she saw her father saying, "You can't have her. She is better off with us, not matter how you argue it. We are not leaving her behind."

Her uncle and Aunt Leena looked, saddened, disappointed and though she was only a girl little Annika sensed more than just the loss of raising a niece.

"You wanted to keep me on Betazed," Seven looked to Leena Sen for the first time since entering the temporary quarters. This was the woman from her memory, older now, but still small, and lovely.

"We tried to convince your parents to leave you but..." she trailed off rather emotionally. A depressing smile befell her lips. "I suppose they loved you too much."

The memory of the forest, of something very sad that happened to the girl, flashed again through Seven's mind.

"The forest. I...something happened. I was upset," she said, but her minds eyes saw tears all down her face as a child.

"That is what I wanted to give you," the chancellor brightened significantly. She leaned over the back of the couch, and her head and arms fully disappeared. For a moment Seven was at an utter loss as to what the woman could be doing. After a moment Sen lifted a big, fluffy white cat into her lap from behind the couch.

Seven had another flash of memory. A small ugly kitten, injured, dying on the forest floor.

"You found a kitten that day at the park. You would not part without it. Your parents were afraid they would never get you back on the ship." Leena Sen stood up with the cat in her arms and walked over to Seven. The memories began to fade as Seven discomfort in the presence of the unpredictable animal grew.

"You made me promise to nurse the cat back to health, and turn him over the next time I saw you. When you returned home," Sen continued. She looked Seven and they shared a moment of mutual reverence for the turn of events that lead them to this particular moment.

"Of course, Snow here is the grandson of Mittens, the kitten you rescued." The Chancellor held out the cat. Instead of taking it, Seven just stared it down, as if it was sprouting tentacles.

"I never thought I would have the chance to fulfill my promise to you, Annika."

Aunt Leena pushed the cat at Seven and she had no choice but to take it. Seven regarded the animal with curiosity for a moment, then her emotion turned to disdain.

"Thank you, but I cannot accept it. An animal is an inefficient use of time and resources," Seven said and clasped her hands behind her back. She had no intention of even touching the cat. Leena inclined her head, half chuckled and hugged the animal back to her chest.

"How about I watch him for a little longer, then? I wasn't ready to part with him just yet, anyway. He was only a kitten when your uncle died."

Seven felt the urge to ask questions, but something stopped her. Perhaps the flood of memories, the surprise at meeting her aunt, and return of the cat were too much for her to take in.

"He is here for you, Seven, anytime you're ready. And so am I," Leena said.

Seven nodded. She squared her shoulders and started for the door. She could hardly wait to get out of the room. Before she left Seven stopped in the doorway and turned. At first she did not know what to say. For the first time, perhaps ever, Seven spoke without thinking.

"Thank you, Aunt Leena. It is good to see you again."

Leena's face lit up, and her dark eyes exuded the warmth Seven remembered from the mess hall earlier and from years ago. Seven knew the emotion now. The emotion was love. However, Seven thought as she exited the room, the relationship warranted further examination as Seven knew her skill at emotional interpretation was insufficient to make a proper diagnosis.

* * *

><p>The <em>Calypso<em> was entirely different from what the Doctor had imagined. Dr. Crusher opened the door to the second largest medical bay, and the Doctor felt a twinge of regret at the fate that landed him on _Voyager_ and not a ship like the _Calypso_. The chamber was huge, almost twice the size of cargo bay three. The overhead lights reflected from the plush walls and tables with a flare that made the room seem like heaven on a ship.

"As you can see, the second medical bay is equipped with all the latest technology, as well as-"

"Twenty five bio-beds!" The Doctor walked into the room with his jaw gapping. To think of all those years he had been trapped in sickbay, with a small office and only five bio beds. Even the smaller scale medical bay aboard the _Calypso_ was a dream come true.

"And you see there, three large offices, as we have six Mark 2's aboard," Dr. Crusher explained.

"Mark 2?" The Doctor said, more to himself.

"I believe one of them is a friend of yours. Computer activate EMH Mark 2 Alpha," Crusher ordered the computer. A tall, gangly man appeared and the Doctor smirked when he saw him.

"Please state the, oh no, not you again," the Mark 2 rolled his eye when he caught sight of the Doctor.

"It's nice to see you to," the Doctor retorted, his tone laced in sarcasm. His lifted an un-amused eyebrow at the rude manners he remember from before.

"I was hoping, given your vast knowledge of Borg implants," Crusher began, and whether or not the Doctor was aware, she used his easily goaded ego to win him over, "you could teach our Mark 2's some of what you know. We need all the help we can get."

The Doctor squared his shoulders. When he first heard of the mission Captain Janeway decided to undertake he was wary of encountering the Borg again. Now, with the resources at his disposal, and a chance to work with Dr. Crusher, and teach the new EMH a thing or two, his opinion of the mission drastically changed.

"Of course, Dr. Crusher. I would be delighted to share my breakthroughs with you," he offered gallantly, with his head wobbling in self-importance.

* * *

><p>If Krell managed to get all the way through his briefing without B'Elenna flying out of her chair and taking a chunk out of his chin with her fist, Janeway promised the higher power she would give up coffee for a week.<p>

The briefing room aboard the _Calypso_ was much bigger than _Voyager_s, in fact, the ship on the whole was at least twice the size of _Voyager_. When she was brought aboard, the fact surprised Janeway. From their sensor readings, and the sleek look of the ship from the outside, Janeway guessed the ship was only slightly larger.

Janeway sat next to Tuvok at the end of the table, choosing the spot she knew would allow her to the gage the reactions of Seven, and Tuvok, as well as keep an eye on B'Elenna. When Chancellor Sen entered the room, Janeway noticed the slight acknowledgement Seven of Nine passed to her. She wondered if the chancellor had told Seven of their family connection without informing her as she requested. Not that Janeway had time to worry about personnel or personal matters.

"Thank you all for coming," Krell said. His eyes seemed to pass over everyone's heads and stop directly on B'Elenna. The Klingon sent him daggers with her eyes. Janeway fought the urge to sigh loudly. This was going to be a tense meeting.

"The six of us in this room alone, will hold the key to the success of the mission. Due to the nature of the Borg we cannot risk sharing what we know with everyone. The Borg adapt. They might find a way around Crusher's inoculation in time," Krell explained.

Janeway leaned back in her chair, and for the next few minutes, much to her dismay, her mind wandered. She found herself still mulling over Chakotay's words of warning. Did the risks of this mission outweigh the benefits? Was she sentencing her loyal crew to doom when Earth was nearly within reach? He had been more than a little upset at not getting invited to this briefing.

"...with your permission of course, Captain," Krell said. Janeway only caught the last phrase, but with all eyes on her she nodded. She sat up straighter and focused her mind like a well tuned machine. She pushed away all other concerns, and absorbed Krell's words.

"Lt. Tuvok, you will lead a team to the shield generators. You're task will be to disable the shields so we can beam Borg drones to the _Calypso_."

Tuvok did not give the Cardassian any indication he was listening, expect for the fact he was a Vulcan, and Janeway, as well as everyone else in the room, knew his mind was keenly focused on the task at hand. Janeway could not help but realize part of her ability to listen so acutely was due to years of serving with the Vulcan, and learning by his skill and example how to focus one's mind.

"Lt. Torres," Krell turned to her next. She gave him a side long glance. Her expression was filled with deathly cold rage. "You will join me at the central plexus. This is where we failed the last time. We must disable the link between the cube and the other ships, and at the same time implement a fake signal to the collective, so they don't know they've lost contact."

Janeway had already been giving the specifics of the mission, and as far as she could tell, they were solid. Whether or not they would work was another story.

"Captain Janeway, Seven of Nine, you will go to the vinculum, and be responsible for severing the link between each drone."

Krell waited for a moment, and when no one in the room spoke he continued.

"Once the drones are..." he searched for the word, "free, Mr. Tuvok will disable the shields. We can then beam the drones directly to the status chambers in the cargo bays."

"That's a lot of coordination on a Borg cube. Are you forgetting, they adapt," B'Elenna said, in a tone that sounded almost controlled. Janeway could not help feeling a slight swell of pride in her chief engineer.

Krell shook his head, obviously carefully considering his reply, given B'Elenna's volatile nature.

"No, we have not forgotten," Krell paused and, pulled out a small oblong shaped device from the pocket of his uniform.

"This is the culmination of ten years of research by the greatest scientific minds in the Alpha Quadrant." He placed the mental device on the briefing table.

"What is it?" B'Elenna asked, her voice clearly unimpressed with the sight.

"It is called a triaxilating frequency disruptor. Essentially, we are using Borg technology against itself. This device is designed to attach to the Borg vinculum. Once inside, it will modulate the frequencies linking each drone too quickly for them to maintain contact. True, the Borg will adapt, but not before we free a significant number of drones."

Janeway looked at the small object on the table. Krell had been generous enough to let her examine it closely. For what she could tell, the device would prove worthy of Krell's claims.

"Even if that does work," B'Elenna said, sounding less than convinced, "how do you suggest we disable the central plexus. I've been inside one. It's not exactly your run of the mill communications device."

"Lt. Torres is correct," Seven added, "the central plexus cannot be..." she hesitated as she searched for the word, "...tricked."

Krell frowned, possibly in response to Seven word choice. Janeway thought essentially Seven was right, they were tricking the vinculum, whether or not Krell liked the term.

"We have a virus. Once injected into the plexus there is a few minute window of time, in which the vinculum must be disable. The virus was successful last time," Krell explained.

"What went wrong?" B'Elenna glared at Krell, her eyes eager for the answer. Janeway shifted in her chair, a little concerned because she could see B'Elenna becoming more and more agitated. Krell put his hand on his chin, and rested his elbow on the arm folded across his mid section.

"We were not able to produce a stable counterfeit signal. The other Borg ships were alerted to our presence and..." He clenched his teeth.

"You plan failed before. It will fail a second time," Seven stated, her tone was severe. All eyes in the briefing room turned to the foremost expert on the Borg. Janeway was intent to hear what her Borg crewmember thought of Krell's plan. She leaned forward, her entire focus on Seven's opinion.

"The Borg have already adapted to the virus you used. Your counterfeit signal failed because there is no way to fool the Borg. Once a ship is severed from the Collective, it is impossible to duplicate the link of thousands of voices to the hive mind," Seven explained.

Krell outstretched his hands and leaned over the table, his white face reflecting in the clear glass below.

"That is where you are wrong. It can be done, by creating a cyclical loop created from a recording of a previous Borg encounter," Krell retorted. Seven did not hide the surprise on her face.

"We haven't been sitting idly during our six months in the Delta Quadrant. There are a number of cubes we've monitored," Chancellor Sen said.

"You mean, you locate a specific Borg cube and make a..." B'Elenna now searched for a way to put into words her thoughts, "...a recording of the daily routine that you plan to play back?"

"Precisely." Krell seemed more than a little pleased that B'Elenna caught on so quickly.

"The Borg will realize the signal is only an echo," Seven argued.

"Yes, but not before we accomplish our mission," Krell continued, "Our estimations suggest the Borg may not realize what has happened for four to eight months. With so many minds and voices, with so much background noise, is difficult to make sense of, even for the Queen."

"By that time you intend to be safely out of the Delta Quadrant," Tuvok followed Krell's train of thought to the logical conclusion.

"That is right Mr. Tuvok," Sen once again spoke. "Although, there are those on the Federation Council who fear retaliation from the Borg."

"That is unlikely," Seven said, much to the surprise of all. Again everyone turned their focus back to the expert. "The Borg will not retaliate until they are sure they can adapt to the technology. If they assimilate no one with knowledge of the device, virus, or echo signal loop they will not be able to adapt." Seven lifted an eyebrow, and Janeway saw she was clearly impressed.

"A competent plan, Dr. Krell." Seven nodded to him, and he humbly accepted her praise. Janeway wondered if he knew just what high praise it was, coming from Seven.

"We've tracked one of our Borg cubes, _Herbert_, as we call him, to a parsec about half a day journey from here," Krell said and pulled up a map of the region on the view screen. "Captain Taren is ready to go, anytime you give the word."

Now all eyes turned to Janeway. She made eye contact with Tuvok first, who silently told her he was ready for the mission. Seven eyes told her the same thing. Last, Janeway turned to B'Elenna. The Klingon still looked wary of Krell, but Janeway knew her well enough to know the chief engineer thought the plan had a relatively good chance of success.

"I will have Voyager lay in a course." Janeway agreed, hoped this mission would not be her last as captain of the _USS Voyager_.


	7. Alone

The next chapter will be up in a day or two. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>In Tuvok's lifetime he had learned there are certain undisputable facts. His mind worked differently from other humanoid species. The logical thought process he used for all of life's situations had aided his long time friend Kathryn Janeway many times. Though he would never admit to such a thing, to himself or others, he prided himself on his ability to look at a situation from the most logical angle.<p>

As Tuvok sat in the chair in his quarters behind the console he scrolled through the list of crewmembers. For the mission to the Borg cube he had come to the logical conclusion that a smaller away team would provide a greater chance of success. Tuvok had read the tactical strategies the _Calypso_ attempted and failed. Twenty nine crew members plus the senior science officers had already proven an unwise course of action. The large team had alerted the Borg to the presence of the _Calypso_ and resulted in the attack that cost an unacceptable number of lives.

Tuvok leaned forward in the chair and sat the padd down. He did not need the list of names to remember each and every crewman on board. He knew them all. Logically, this away mission would cost the lives of, perhaps, everyone he took with him to disable the shield generators. Aside from himself and Ensign Kim, who had already gained experience on this type of mission, Tuvok had two other crewmen chosen. He had one spot left to fill. The decision was difficult.

Everyone on board _Voyager_ was needed at their post for the attack on the cube, and Tuvok wanted to give Commander Chakotay the greatest chance of success. After all, the majority of lives lost in the initial attack by the _Calypso_ were caused by the unexpected attack on the _Calypso_ itself.

By following a logical train of thought, Tuvok finally came to the conclusion the last, best choice for his away team was, upon first glance an unlikely candidate. _Voyager_ needed all its brightest crewmen to survive and attack, and Tuvok found logic in not risking a valued crewmember. If he and Ensign Kim where killed, the lost to _Voyager_ would be significant but not unbearable. If Ensign Tal Celes were killed, _Voyager_ would not be affected.

Tuvok put her name on the final spot of his away team. The Bajoran female had not proven useful in analytical matters on board the ship, but Tuvok knew she could carry a phaser and set an explosive charge, and that was really all that was required. Tal Celes had also proven to keep a cool head in a dangerous situation. With the last name completed, Tuvok had assembled his away team. He pressed his badge to alert them of his choice.

* * *

><p>Janeway attempted to sleep. She did not succeed. She could feel the ship moving toward the Borg cube, and her mind was filled with concern about the day to come. Finally, giving up on sleep, she dressed and went to the mess hall, as was her custom occasionally when she found herself needing a change of surroundings.<p>

The lights were off, and the hall was deserted. She admitted to herself some slight disappointment that Neelix was not burning the midnight oils. Sometimes she appreciated a friendly face to talk to.

She went to the replicator and ordered a hot cup of coffee. With both hands clasped around the mug she went to the sofa overlooking the stars. Janeway pulled one leg under her on the couch and stretched the other out on the coffee table. She watched the stars pass by, but her eyes did not focus on them. Instead of worrying about the mission to the cube, operation _Herbert_, as the crew jestingly referred to it, her thoughts took a different turn, and not a pleasant one.

Chakotay. She took a sip of coffee, trying to counter the cold chill she felt at the thought of his name. Over the last few days their relationship had been a, as Tom Paris might put it, rollercoaster ride. The stable, consistent relationship she had come to depend on, the one she needed most at times like this was unavailable to her now. She wondered if she was only dreaming to think of becoming anything more than his captain. So far, the possibility had caused both of them a nearly unbearable amount of confusion and pain.

Janeway was so lost in thought that she did not hear the mess hall door open. Not until someone ordered a drink from the replicator did she turn. From the drink order she did not have to see who it was to know. The order was Uttaberry tea. Uttaberries only grew on Betazed.

"May I join you?" Chancellor Sen asked. Janeway could see the woman kept her distance, and would have been perfectly content to leave the mess hall given the word.

Janeway did not speak, but nodded. The chancellor rounded the sofa and sat a cushion length away from Janeway. Silence filled the room for a minute or two, and in that time Janeway focused her thoughts to the stars outside. She did not want the chancellor reading her thoughts regarding the subjects of the mission or Chakotay.

"I told Annika I am her aunt," the chancellor said. Janeway looked down into her coffee cup, trying to hide her irritation at the betzoid for not waiting until Janeway could be present.

"I know you wanted to be there, but, frankly captain, and I mean no disrespect, my relationship with my niece is not your business."

Janeway snapped her head around and sent a look to Sen. Perhaps, Janeway did deserve to be told off, but she hardly found fault in her own concern for Seven's well being.

"Well," Janeway said, titled her head and almost smiling, "I suppose I won't ask how it went then."

Sen sipped her tea, but her dark eyes never waived from Janeway for an instant.

"I am not a fool," Sen stated. Janeway felt the urge to reply with sarcasm but she held her tongue.

"I know you feel threatened by me. I assure you captain, Seven's respect and admiration for you will never be touched by myself or anyone."

Janeway felt a little guilty now for her rude thoughts a moment ago. Still, she continued to the look out the window, all the while aware of the chancellor's eyes on her.

"You were correct. She does not trust easily," Sen continued. Janeway remained silent. She was grateful for the change of subject, it kept her mind off the Borg cube and Chakotay, but at the same time she felt a little strange discuss Seven on such an intimate level with a stranger.

"She learned that from you," Sen finished. Janeway did once again look at the chancellor.

"I beg your pardon?" Janeway asked, her tone harsh. Sen seemed unaffected by Janeway's turn toward the stern.

"You don't let people in, even your friends, your crew, those you love. I suppose you think that is how it had to be, given _Voyager's_ situation. Seven has learned to master the trait," Sen said.

Now the chancellor was lurking in waters that were forbidden to strangers. Janeway sat up a little straighter, and removed her leg from the coffee table.

"I've been meaning to ask, what is a Betazoid Chancellor of the Arts doing on a mission against the Borg?" Janeway used a commanding tone that demanded and answer. She did not want Sen to return to the previous subject of conversation. Sen took another sip, and much to Janeway's annoyance, still seemed just as at ease as when she first entered.

"As Krell mentioned, I was an advocate of this mission from the beginning," she began, and for the first time broke her gaze from Janeway. "My husband was killed during an experiment with the frequency disruptor. His family, the Hansen's, were assimilated by the Borg, and now my home world is increasingly threatened by the Borg."

She looked down into her cup, with a sadness that Janeway found particularly poignant.

"I've already lost much to the Borg. I don't want them to take anymore. When the scientific members of the _Calypso_ were killed, I was the highest ranking official on board. Krell decided to provide me with the details of the mission, in the event he was incapacitated."

Janeway studied Sen, and though she sympathized, she still felt some hostility toward the woman.

"That still doesn't explain your function on this mission."

Sen looked back up, the momentary sadness gone from her face, and her calm features fell back into their proper form.

"If we succeed, there will be a large number of drones in need of rehabilitation. I believe, as I convinced the Federation council, that art is the best way to do so," Sen explained. "Art is what sets us apart from all other forms of life. Art keeps us from becoming savages. Art touches all humanoid life in a way words or thoughts cannot."

"You can't fight the Borg like that," Janeway replied. Sen was an idealist, and though Janeway knew herself to be one as well, she found Sen's argument foolish.

"I told you I have read your ships logs. Music played an important role is Annika's path back to humanity."

Janeway set her coffee mug on the table.

"Seven's path back to humanity was not an easy one. Yes, music is important to her but I say again chancellor, you can't fight the Borg like that."

"Fight them, no. Give the drones back their lives and families, yes." The chancellor fluttered her eyes and then looked out the window. Janeway could sense the woman finally becoming agitated, and it was about time. Not that Janeway wanted to cause conflict, but the calm exterior of the chancellor was getting on her last nerve.

"For what it's worth," the chancellor continued, "I don't think Seven's admiration for you is misplaced."

Janeway opened her mouth to respond, but Sen did not give her the chance.

"But, if you continually push others away, you will end up alone, captain, and no one wishes that," Sen finished. She stood, nodded to Janeway and then left the mess hall.

Janeway finished her coffee, and had a few more cups, before going to her ready room. As she walked the corridors she could sense her crew was waking up. The nervous, yet determined good mornings she received did little to settle her already troubled thoughts. To her relief, none of the senior staff, save for Tuvok, were on the bridge. Janeway snuck into her ready room relatively unnoticed.

The last read out she looked at indicated they were approaching the sector of space where the _Calypso_ had last encountered the cube, _Herbert_. She knew they were only hours away from the confrontation.

She spent a good half hour reviewing all of the data on the proposed mission before she was interrupted by someone at her door.

"Come," she said without looking up from the padd. Chakotay stepped into her ready room. With a secret inhale of trepidation she squared her shoulder and lifted her chin.

"Tuvok has assembled his away team, and B'Elanna is ready as well, although convincing her to work with the Cardassian was a bit tricky," Chakotay informed her, handing her a padd detailing the data he had just given her.

"This whole operation is a bit tricky," Janeway agreed and put her fingers to her temples. "I don't know, Chakotay, maybe you were right and we should have passed this one by." The admission was difficult for Janeway, and she watched Chakotay carefully to gauge his reaction.

"It's not like you to second guess yourself," he said.

"No, that's your job," she replied. She was happy to see her joke caused the faintest hint of a smile to appear on his face.

"It's too late to turn back now, besides," Chakotay took a few steps toward the desk, "I beginning to think this mission can be a success, with minimal loss of life."

Janeway perked up a little. Hearing Chakotay's reassurances did her more good, meant more to her than she cared to admit.

"Of course, I have been kept in the dark on certain aspects," Chakotay added, and gave her a hard glare.

"I'm sorry, commander, that is a necessity. You know I would tell you if I could," Janeway replied. She sat the padd down, and Chakotay continued to stare down at her from the other side of the desk.

"Would you?" Chakotay locked gazes with her and bent over. He leaned forward until his nose was only inches from hers. "There are things you've never told to me. If we are about to die, Kathryn, I would like to hear them. Just once."

His voice was a whisper, and the desire in his dark eyes was evident. Janeway felt the air knocked from her lungs. She swallowed but her throat was dry.

"Chakotay, I..." she hesitated, remembering the words of the chancellor. _You will end up alone, and no one wishes that_. Perhaps those words would turn out to be disappointingly true.

"I can't." Now her voice barely registered above a soft wisp. "I am still the captain of this ship. Until that changes..." Janeway would have finished her sentence but Chakotay withdrew. He glared at her, exhaled and then paced around the room. Finally he looked at her, and she did not like what she saw.

"You can't or you won't?" Chakotay shook his head slowly. "Do you remember the legend I once told you, about a an angry warrior who-"

"Yes," Janeway cut him off, not wanting to hear any more. The memory meant to much to her to let Chakotay exploit it in a moment of frustration.

"After years of fighting by her side, the warrior realized his feelings, but his companion, if she returned them, never spoke of it. The journey changed her. She became too self reliant, too concerned with her tribe and her customs to let him near."

"That is not fair, Chakotay," Janeway replied, scowling up at him from her desk. Her hands were clasped together under her chin.

"No," Chakotay took a few rapid steps back to the desk, "what isn't fair is you hiding behind Starfleet protocol for seven years. I've let you. I've waited. I've never pressed the issue." Chakotay leaned over the desk once again, although this time he did not get close to her. "You either want me or you don't. No more protocol, no more excuses, no more dodging the issue. There is an old earth saying, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Chakotay straightened his posture. "I am done waiting, Kathryn. Speak now or remain silent, but either way it's time to move on."

Janeway stared at him, to furious now to even respond. He had the worst timing of any man she had ever known.

"Tuvok to the captain," came a voice from over the comm. Janeway reluctantly unclenched her teeth and answered the call.

"Yes, Tuvok," she never took her eyes from Chakotay.

"We have detected the Borg cube. The _Calypso_ is ready to initiate the attack."

"Understood," Janeway said and stood up. She glared at Chakotay as she rounded her desk.

"We'll continue this later," she said. He grabbed her arm and stopped her on the way to the door. Those his eyes were filled with anger, his touch was surprisingly gentle.

"There is no later."

Janeway felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. He meant the words, she could see clearly the conviction in his eyes. When she did not respond, he let go of her arm. She saw a flash of bitter acceptance in his eyes before he exited the ready room.

Janeway closed her eyes, needing a split second to compose herself. She was grateful the Borg cube and the mission were so close. The deep jagged slash through her heart was easier to ignore in the chaos of eminent danger.


	8. Herbert

"We've got the cube on sensors," Ensign Kim said from behind his console to the left of Janeway.

"On screen," she ordered. She had her hands on her hips, and stood in the middle of the bridge. Chakotay stood only a few steps from her side. The screen flicked on and an unimpressive Borg cube appeared, the familiar green glowing showing from under coils and twisted black metal. Though not a small ship by any means, Janeway took some comfort in the fact this cube did not appear as heavily armed as those she had faced in the past.

"Somehow I pictured _Herbert_ differently," Tom said, tongue in cheek.

When Thomas Eugene Paris first assumed the helm, Janeway had been irritated by his flippant remarks. Now she welcomed them. She learned over years of traveling with the son of Admiral Paris, that his gift for humor in a dangerous situation put the crew, at sometimes even herself, more at ease.

"The _Calypso_ is hailing," Kim stated. Janeway nodded and the image of Captain Taren replaced the one of the cube.

"We are ready, Captain. The EMH and Dr. Crusher are standing by," he informed.

"Then it's now or never," Janeway replied. Only after she said the clichéd phrase did she suddenly feel a twinge of regret at her word choice. She did not dare a look at Chakotay, for he had said those very words only moments earlier, in a highly different context.

"Good luck." Taren said, and then his image disappeared. Janeway pressed her comm badge.

"All hands this is the captain," Janeway inhaled softly and lifted her chin. "We all know the dangers of this mission, but after seven years of serving with you, I've never ceased to be amazed at the extraordinary feats you've accomplished. I've asked a lot of you, and you've given more than I had the right to expect. Now, I ask this crew to show their talent and skill one last time. We have the chance to save hundreds of lives today, let's not lose any of our own."

Janeway ended the communication. She glanced around at the bridge crew, and they all looked at her with such confidence, such trust, she had a difficult time not getting emotional. She squared her shoulders.

"Tuvok, Ensign Kim," Janeway called to them as she rounded the bridge and proceeded up the stairs to the turbo lift. Tuvok and Kim followed. Just as the doors started to close, Chakotay turned to look at her. He did not say anything, there wasn't time, but she knew from his eyes he feared losing her. At least _that_ hadn't changed, even if the engagement was off.

When they reached the transporter room, Janeway found all of the members of each away team already assembled. B'Elanna looked determined if not slightly uneasy. Krell seemed composed, and Janeway hoped the two could put aside their differences to focus on the mission at hand.

Seven seemed her usual self, assured and composed. The surprise choice for Tuvok's away team, Tal Celes, stood in back as if trying to disappear into a corner. Janeway only reluctantly agreed to Tuvok's choice, now she wondered if she should have at all.

"Chakotay to the captain," the voice came over the comm badge. "We are within range of the cube. They have not detected us. Shields are still down. You can transport when you're ready."

"Acknowledged," Janeway replied, then nodded at her crew members. Alpha team, Krell and B'Elanna were the first to beam aboard, each armed with phasers. Janeway and Seven were next. Seven clutched a case which held the triaxilating frequency disruptor. The last thing Janeway saw was Tuvok, who watched them beam to the cube with a typical solemn Vulcan expression.

* * *

><p>Seven's inherit Borg efficiency kicked into high gear as soon as they were aboard the Borg vessel. Her tricorder flipped open at lightning speed and with a few quick scans she gestured toward Janeway.<p>

"The vinculum is this way."

Janeway made a few quick turns to check each hallway, but for now the drones ignored them. The hallways they travelled flashed with green and yellow lights, and the metal clanked beneath them as they wove down the corridors. No matter how many times Janeway boarded a cube, she never managed to shake the cold grip of dread that overcame her. Borg cubes were creepy, it was an indisputable fact.

They reached a set of menacing doors and Seven put her tricorder away.

"This is Beta team, we are in position," Seven said into her badge. Janeway continued to scan the area in case any drones decided to qualify them as intruders.

"Gamma team is also in position," Tuvok answered. Seven and Janeway waited for the third away team. The longer the silence ensured the more uneasy Janeway became. She wondered if B'Elanna has lost control of her temper and injured the Cardassian.

"Lt. Torres is a competent officer, Captain. She would not let prejudice influence her actions with so much at stake," Seven assured Janeway.

Janeway titled her head and almost let a grin show through.

"I see you've picked up your aunt's ability to read minds."

Seven gave Janeway a look filled with almost childlike curiosity.

"Let's hope you're right," Janeway added, and moved out of the way of a passing drone.

* * *

><p>B'Elanna did not like taking orders from a Cardassian, but even she had to admit his knowledge of the Borg cube was impressive. He lead them down a number of hallways, all of which looked the same to B'Elanna. After a while she worried he was leading her in circles, purposefully tricking her into thinking he knew what he was doing.<p>

They turned a corner and B'Elanna saw a bulk head with a star shaped chip on the side. She remembered the chip from earlier. Krell stopped in the middle of the hallway, and B'Elanna nearly ran into him. She was about to protest, to accuse him of getting them lost but he spoke first.

"It is difficult to get a sensor lock on the plexus. The shielding is too heavy," Krell admitted giving his tricorder a couple of knocks.

"Here," B'Elanna growled and snatched the tricorder out of his hands. She scanned the area.

"The magnetic readings are denser in this direction," she told him and started down one of the hallways. She followed the readings until she looked up and found they were standing to the side of the large, heavily shielded doors to the central plexus. The Borg force-field around the doors did not enable them to approach the doors directly. There was no doubt in her mind this was the place, she had seen it before. Thankfully, unlike the last time, she was not in full Borg armor.

"Impressive," Krell seemed genuine in his statement.

"If this is how you go about things, no wonder everyone died last time," B'Elanna hissed. She put the tricorder away and hit her comm badge before Krell had time to respond.

"This is Alpha team, we are ready, Captain," B'Elanna said. She spoke specifically to Janeway, just so Krell understood exactly who it was she was taking orders from.

"Alpha, Beta, Gamma teams, proceed," Janeway said. Her voice was garbled over the comm system. Obviously the enhancements B'Elanna had made to the badges so they could communicate inside the cube were breaking down under the strain of Borg technology.

B'Elanna set down the case she carried, and Krell did the same. They both pulled one long cylinder shaped device.

"I hope this works," B'Elanna said as she attached the device to the side of the wall. Krell did the same on his side of the hallway.

"It did last time, but only for a few seconds..." Krell looked at her. "Getting in is easier, it is getting out that will prove difficult."

"Is that supposed to encourage me?" B'Elanna asked with a smirk. Before they initiated the low range shield disrupting devices the drones suddenly stopped and then turned from their previous actions.

"The captain must be inside the vinculum," B'Elanna reasoned. Krell nodded and at the same time they activated the devices. The shields powered down and B'Elanna quickly stepped to the doors. She placed an explosive charge on the door and stepped back. Krell fired his phaser at a drone behind her. The drone dropped and B'Elanna looked up at the Cardassian.

"Thanks," she said and meant it. She covered her head and detonated the charge. The doors opened and another drone came around the corner. Krell fired but the blast had no effect. Together the two of them dove into the central plexus. The drone followed, and Krell fought with him hand to hand, as B'Elanna worked to seal the doors. She tried a number of algorithms, and wished for a moment Seven had been assigned to their team. Finally, she found the right combination and the inner blast doors began to close. Krell managed to shove the drone back into the hallway just before the doors clamped together.

"I'm not really sure if I should be happy we are stuck in here," B'Elanna said. The inside of the plexus was hot enough that B'Elanna could see traces of condensation on the metal surrounding them. On the way to the mainframe, B'Elanna removed her outer uniform jacket. Krell removed the panel to the glowing green core of the plexus, and pulled out a vile of the virus he had engineered.

B'Elanna glanced down at the timing device she wore.

"We have to hurry." Coordination was everything on this mission. If the plexus was not deactivated before Seven and the captain severed the link between the drones, then all hell would likely break lose. B'Elanna wiped the sweat from her ridged forehead and proceeded to the mainframe console. She pulled a padd from her case that contained the "echo" signal that needed to be installed.

Her fingers swept over the console as she attempted to integrate the signal. If there was even the slightest nano-second lapse in the switch to the fake link, the other Borg cubes would know. Once everything was readied to her satisfaction, B'Elanna looked over her shoulder to Krell. She nodded and he inserted the vile into the core.

B'Elanna only watched for a moment, as the dark purple invaded the green space, corrupting the communications channels. The console in front of her started to flash, and B'Elanna knew she only have a few seconds to get the echo up and running before the central plexus crashed. She brought the fake signal online, but the Borg central computer rejected it as a fraud.

"Ghay'cha'!" B'Elanna cursed at the Borg computer and Krell appeared at her side.

"This is the same problem we had last time," he said. He punched a few sequences and B'Elanna shook her head. His attempts to integrate the signal were noble, but she could see they were also futile. Then, an idea hit her.

She worked rapidly, knowing their time was nearly up.

"What are you doing?" Krell asked, the agitation in his voice was evident.

"Trying to save this mission," B'Elanna answered only half heartedly, as she focused on the task at hand. A few second later the echo signal transmitted successfully from the central computer through the now infected plexus and to the rest of Borg space.

"Got it!" B'Elanna celebrated by slapping her hands on the console a few times. Krell looked at her, and she took a great deal of pleasure in seeing the dumbfounded expression on his very intelligent features.

"How did you accomplish that?"

"The entire bases of the Borg existence is assimilation right?" B'Elanna began, "I just made the echo look like something the central computer would want to assimilate. A piece of tantalizingly advanced technology, and it worked."

"The file I read on you lead me to believe you were something of a genius. Well done, Lieutenant."

B'Elanna jutted her jaw foreword.

"You too. Your virus actually worked," she returned the compliment, though it was painful. "Now, let's figure out how to get out of here."

* * *

><p>"They have disabled the central plexus," Seven said. She gripped the console inside the vinculum chamber for support from the shaking of the cube. There was obviously a battle going on outside. <em>Voyager<em> by now had most likely engaged the Borg cube to draw attention away from the away teams inside.

"Attaching the disruptor now," Janeway replied, and Seven watched her place the small device on the outside of the vinculum. The small metal piece of Federation technology sprouted three long tubules, almost like the Borg. Seven lifted an eyebrow in fascination, and saw the captain was also surprised.

Their attention, however, was drawn away from the disruptor by the screeching of metal. Outside the chamber, the drones attempted to force the doors. The metal reluctantly moved, and several hands reached inside the room, though they had not get succeeded in breaking through.

Janeway turned from the door and looked down at the console. Seven followed the action.

"The device is working. The link between the drones is weakening," Seven informed. The arms reaching through the doors suddenly stopped. Janeway looked at the timing device.

"We only have a few seconds before Tuvok disables the shield generators," Janeway informed.

Seven watched the readings carefully, and noticed a small fluctuation in the Federation disruptor. The arms of the drones once again began to reach through the small crack in the doors.

"What's happening?" the captain asked. Seven hesitated for a moment as she read the console.

"The vinculum is rejecting the disruptor. It is adapting," Seven did not bother to hide the alarm in her voice.

"There must be something we can do," Janeway said, but before the words left her mouth, Seven knew what had to be done.

"Nano-probes. If I inject the disruptor, it should allow the link to stabilize," Seven explained. Janeway frowned, and Seven instinctively knew the captain would not allow her to go through with the plan. The captain's objections would be inefficient use of time. Time was limited. With little ceremony, Seven reached forth her hand and injected the tubules into the disruptor.

"Seven," Janeway objected in rather a harsh growl. After that Seven did not remember much. She felt the presence of the disruptor and through the device the voices of all of the drones inside the cube. This was different, not like being part of the collective. The voices were lost, disjointed and more and more began to fall away.

There was a small explosion near Seven's hand, and she saw a few bright sparks. Pain seared through her body, and then another large explosion shook the entire ship. The explosion knocked both Seven and Janeway to the ground. Seven faintly heard the captain's voice before she blacked out.

"Janeway to _Voyager_. Beam Seven directly to sick bay."

* * *

><p>"Shield generators are off line," Harry yelled across the hallway. The way team was pinned down just outside the shield generator room. Though the drones were now severed from the collective, they continued to attack. Harry thought some of them still seemed like they were connected to the hive mind, but he fired his phaser anyway. Their body shielding was down, and so the away team stood a fighting chance.<p>

"_Voyager_ to Tuvok," Chakotay's voice came over the comm, though it was patchy. "We can't get a lock on you. Move down two decks, we have been beaming drones off board from there."

"Understood," Tuvok replied. "Ensign Celes, take the crewmen Jone and Miles and proceed below. Ensign Kim and I will cover you."

"Gee, thanks for volunteering me," Harry mumbled to Tuvok. He turned around to see Celes nod at the Lt. Commander. She looked like what Harry's grandmother used to call a deer in the headlights. Harry was not sure exactly what that meant, but he had a feeling it could be applied to Celes now.

She and the two crewmen disappeared down the hallway. Harry turned back around and fired another shot and the approaching Borg. He wondered if he would ever see his crewmates again.

* * *

><p>"Alright, get ready, here they come," Dr. Crusher said, with a hypo spray held high in her hand.<p>

The Doctor did not look at her, or the six Mark 2's surrounding him in the cargo bay of the _Calypso_. Instead his eyes were acutely focused on the stasis chamber bio-bed directly in front of him. When the drones started beaming aboard, they would have seconds to sedate them, and once that task was completed he knew long hours lay ahead. Hours in which seconds mattered. As with Seven of Nine, removing the implants from the drones would prove complex and time consuming, at best.

Dr. Crusher has no sooner spoken then twenty bio-beds filled with drones. Each individual drone jerked and thrashed inside the bed, disoriented and lost. The Doctor pressed the hypo spray to the neck of the first drone, and he stopped his movements. His eyes closed and for the time being he ceased to be in danger. The Doctor moved quickly to the next bed and repeated the action.

Dr. Crusher, as well as the Mark 2's performed similar actions. Once the first twenty drones were sedated, the next twenty appeared. This processes continued, and the Doctor felt grateful he could not get tired on his feet. He was a bit amazed by the stamina of Dr. Crusher.

Occasionally a drone thrashed or attacked, but the Mark 2's and the Doctor were immune to such accidents. On about the fourth or fifth batch of drones, Dr. Crush was struck in the forehead by a loosely flying utility arm. The gash on her forehead was not life threatening, but the Doctor couldn't help notice the deep cut looked painful.

With little time or resources to spare however, Dr. Crusher simply pressed a white cloth to her forehead and continued to work as if nothing had happened.

The cargo bay filled with drone after drone. Yes, there would be long hours of surgery ahead.

* * *

><p>Tal Celes could not help feeling a bit creeped out by the emptied deck on the Borg cube. Obviously, <em>Voyager<em> had beamed all the drones in this section of the cube to the _Calypso_. When she was only a young girl, Celes remembered spending time in haunted houses during Halloween. The creators of those holo-programs could certainly have benefited from being on the deserted Borg cube now.

Celes tapped her comm badge.

"This is Gamma team, three to beam back."

"We can't get a lock on you," Commander Chakotay's voice barely managed to cut through the static. Both of the crewmen, Jones and Miles, looked to Celes. She was, at this moment, the senior ranking crew member. She felt awfully sorry for her two companions. With a smirk Celes considered her next move. She wasn't about to wait around for a rescue. Every moment spent on the cube, aside from increasing her creep out factor, put them in greater danger of not making it off the cube alive.

During her academy days, Tal's life had been a struggle. The homework, the pressure and the complexity of mathematical problems gave her a headache to think about even now. Celes removed her comm badge, remembering a particular assignment she had failed because as the teacher told her, she had cut corners. The method she used to increase the communication homing signal in class came in handy now. She was out of options, and she figured trying something was better than just sitting around.

She pulled a hair pin from the locks on top of her head, and used it to pry off the outer plating of the badge. She fumbled with a few of the tiny circuits inside until she was satisfied with the combination. After a few seconds she handed her badge to the younger crewman.

"There," Celes said triumphantly "You two should have been power to your comm badges now for transport."

"What about you?" Miles asked. Celes shrugged and waived her hand good naturedly.

"Oh, I'll be fine," she said, though her assured voice betrayed what she actually felt. "Celes to _Voyager_, try the signal now."

Within seconds the two crewmen disappeared from the cube.

"I can't believe that actually worked," Celes said to herself. She looked around, now alone in the eerie silent cube. She took a deep breath to keep herself from panicking, and decided to head for the vinculum, where she knew Captain Janeway would be.

* * *

><p>"The Borg have already started to regenerate their shields. Looks like the vinculum only disabled about half the ship. If we're going to get out of here, we better do it fast," B'Elanna said to Krell as she read the data on the console.<p>

"Last time I was able to escape because a torpedo from the _Calypso_ damaged the blast doors. The rest of my group was killed," Krell explained to B'Elanna. His visage seemed to take on a guilty slump.

"I'd rather not wait around for a freak accident," B'Elanna replied. She did not look at Krell, but started to scan the room with her eyes, looking for anything they might use to escape.

The damage to the cube was apparent inside the central plexus, as the normal green glow and flashing lights flickered and faded.

"We might be able to reopen the blast doors," Krell suggested. B'Elanna continued her can of the room, but the idea interested her.

"How exactly?" She was genuinely curious.

"If the cube senses us as a threat, they will send in drones to stop us," Krell gave her a look. His plan might allow them to escape the central plexus, but B'Elanna was not too thrilled about facing a legion of half functioning drones.

"But, if they come in here they will notice something is wrong with the plexus." B'Elanna put her hands on her hips.

"By now the mission should have succeeded. The possibility the plexus would go on transmitting the echo for months without being found out was slim at best," Krell admitted. B'Elanna smirked. She shook her head. Typical of a Cardassian to twist the facts to get what he wanted.

Rather than argue the matter now, B'Elanna opted instead to work with the scientist to escape. They could deal with the rest when they were back on _Voyager_. Krell proceeded to a console and began feeding in data. After a few moments the blast doors opened, and six or seven drones flooded the room like black bugs.

"I owe this to you. Run," Krell ordered then pushed his way into the middle of the drones. The drones circled around him and began the assimilation process. Krell did not scream, but B'Elanna only watched him succumb to the attackers for a moment. He sacrificed himself to save her, and she was not about to waste his life by watching his demise.

While the drones were distracted she slipped by them and out of the central plexus room. As she ran down the corridor she thought maybe her judgment of the Cardassian had been too hasty.

* * *

><p>The drones had driven Harry and Tuvok into a corner, backed against the bulk head. They had long since adapted to the phaser fire and now Harry was targeting them in vain.<p>

"You will be assimilated, resistance is futile." Several of the drones said in unison. If the plan had worked, Harry saw little indication of it now. The drones seemed to still be functioning as part of the collective.

Tuvok lowered his phaser and stepped into the open hallway. Harry rallied his courage and sighed deeply. He never thought his end would be on a Borg ship. He always knew, in his heart, he would see his parents again. Fate can be a cruel taker of rich hopes and dreams.

Harry stepped into the hall beside Lt. Commander Tuvok, and waited for the Borg to inject him. He closed his eyes and felt the snake like tubes inching near his throat.

Before he felt contact he heard the Borg turn aside. He opened his eyes, and the drones pushed him and Tuvok down the hall. Harry felt a momentary sense of relief until the questions began to plague his mind. Since when do the Borg take prisoners? As he marched between the drones he wondered if his fate would be worse than death by attempted assimilation.


	9. Consequences

Once Seven had been safely beamed back to _Voyager_, Janeway, with phaser in hand, headed for the doors the drones had nearly forced open only moments ago. She punched a command into the controls and the doors burst fully open. Cautiously, Janeway peered around the corner, and forced the phaser out in front of her.

The corridor was deserted, and from the sparks and darkened lights she assumed the cube was in a state of disarray. Only B'Elanna would know for sure, if she was still in the central plexus. Janeway sent a look skyward, and hoped that the forces of the universe had spared her chief engineer.

Walking through the deserted hallways of the Borg cube made Janeway a little more than uneasy. She heard the snap of metal against metal and jumped to her left, swinging the phaser in the direction of the noise. When nothing appeared from around the corner, Janeway scolded herself for being so on edge. She decided to try finding Tuvok and Kim in the direction of the shield generators, but hoped for their sakes the two of them had already beamed off the cube. She lost communication with _Voyager_ only seconds after Seven dematerialized.

She walked the length of a darkened corridor until she came to the edge. The path ended in a abrupt manner, and Janeway stepped close to the overhang. She wanted to see what was over the side. With once last glance behind her, she peered down into the abyss. Abyss was a fitting word. In the center of the cube loomed a hole so deep Janeway could not see the bottom. Across the widest expanse to the other side must have been at least two hundred meters.

As she stared down into the black hole littered with green flicks, Janeway felt a chill of alarm at the thought of falling into the chasm. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and spun around, crouched and aimed the phaser, barely avoiding a fall off the edge of the corridor platform.

"Captain," she heard the human voice before she registered the face. Tal Celes. Janeway lowered the phaser.

"A key piece of advice, Ensign, never sneak up on your captain inside a Borg cube," Janeway scolded.

Celes nodded her head vigorously, and the apologetic look on her face was followed by a slew of rapid words.

"I am so sorry, Captain. I was so excited to see you, I didn't think. I just-"

She rambled but Janeway held up her hand to cut her off. The ensign very abruptly shut her mouth, and Janeway used the silence to think. A metal ladder lead from the platform they were on to a higher deck.

"Where is the rest of your away team?" Janeway asked.

"Harry and Tuvok held off the Borg while we crawled down to a lower deck. Transporters were still up, and crewmen Jones and Miles beamed back to _Voyager_," Celes explained. Janeway, not missing a beat, looked at Celes' uniform.

"Where is your comm badge?"

Celes lowered her eyes to the ground, much like a guilty child.

"I used it to boost the transporter signal so _Voyager_ could get a lock."

"Well done, ensign," Janeway let her pride show in her tone. Celes' face lit up, much like the brightest lights in _Voyager's_ mess hall. Janeway stood next to the ladder, phaser still raised.

"After you," she said to Celes. The young ensign nodded, still beaming in the wake of Janeway's compliment. She began to climb and Janeway cover her assent. When Celes was far enough up the ladder, Janeway started up behind her. The captain lifted her foot up to about the fourth or fifth step, when she felt something latch around her ankle.

She turned to see the cause, but before she could she was pulled free from her grip on the metal bars, by sheer force. A tight piece of cord dug into her ankle. Janeway dropped the phaser in order to spread her arms, and help break her fall to the platform.

Her elbows took the brunt of the blow, and sent a stinging pain up her arms. By the time her pain blurred vision cleared she glanced up in time to see a drone nearly on top of her. He crawled along the floor, as his legs were missing, and lifted an arm complete with small rotating saw, into the air.

Just before he struck, a large piece of black metal collided with his skull and deactivated his primary systems. Janeway turned upward and saw Celes still holding position after her swing.

"Are you okay, Captain," the Bajoran asked. Janeway could not hide her grin.

"Yes, thanks to you."

Celes made a sound that was suspiciously like a giggle, before she reached out a hand to Janeway. Before Janeway could take the offered help, she saw a metal plated arm wrap around Celes' neck. The drone pulled Celes backward, toward the chasm as the ensign tried to break free of the grip. Celes dropped the pipe she had used to defend Janeway, and almost before it hit the ground Janeway was on her feet.

"Futile, futile, futile," the drone kept repeating. With each word his head jerked to the left, and he continued to back away. Obviously he was malfunctioning. Janeway picked up the pipe and approached carefully. The drone maintained his grip on Celes, and was only a few steps away from the edge of the platform.

Janeway moved cautiously, inching closer to the drone with slow steady steps. The drone took another step backward and stumbled. The sharp metal protruding from one of his damaged implants cut Celes across the middle. She let out a startled cry of pain and the two of them disappeared over the side.

Janeway lunged forward, and just over the edge of the platform she managed to grab onto Celes' hand. The attempt was in vain, however, because the force of Celes' free fall pulled Janeway along the platform and off the edge.

The two of them fell together, Janeway not releasing her hold on Celes as the Borg drone had done. They fell for what seemed like hours, but in reality must have only been a few seconds. Janeway felt something tighten around her ankle, then cut through the fabric of her uniform and dig deeply into her flesh.

The pain from the wire the drone had wrapped around her ankle to pull her from the ladder, might have caused Janeway to curse, but she was so grateful the fall had been thwarted she actually managed a sigh of relief.

When the wire tightened to its full length, Janeway nearly lost her grip on Celes. Once the movement of the wire had stabilized, Janeway looked down and made eye contact with the ensign. Even from upside down Janeway instantly realized the wound Celes sustained was severe. The ensign's normally bright eyes were dimmed, and the strain of holding onto Janeway caused beads of sweat to break out on the Bajoran's forehead.

"Hold on Celes, that is an order," Janeway demanded. The ensign feebly tried to nod. Janeway called upon one of Tuvok's Vulcan concentration techniques. She used every bit of strength within her to focus on not losing her hold on Celes' hand.

Once assured for the moment that her grip would hold, she looked around the abyss. Janeway hoped to spot a nearby platform or alcove she could swing Tal Celes over to. The corridor from which they hung seemed to be the end of the line. Nothing appeared within range a range of twenty meters. Janeway brought her focus back to Celes when she felt the young woman's fingers losing their hold.

"Celes," Janeway said her name, and the ensign looked up at her. Janeway could see plainly Celes was resigned to her fate.

"I am not about to lose a member of my crew," Janeway told her.

"It's alright, captain," Celes said, though Janeway could see a tear trailing back into the ensign's hair and dropping to the abyss. "Would you tell my parents, I love them?"

The request, more a simple plea, caused Janeway to tighten her hold. For now, the method worked to compensate for Celes' weakening grip.

"You can tell them when we get home," Janeway assured her. Celes gave Janeway a sympathetic look, almost a look of pity, which in turn only caused Janeway to hold on tighter. After a moment, Celes' eyes started to disappear under lids that fluttered with the loss of blood.

"Ensign, listen to me. You just need to hold on a little longer. Help is on the way," Janeway encouraged. Celes made a valiant attempt not to lose consciousness, but the fight against the injury caused by the drone proved too much.

"I wish I could have done more for _Voyager_," Celes said, and then her eyes closed. Her hand went completely limp and the new strain on Janeway was nearly unbearable. Still, the captain did not let go.

Janeway waited. Tuvok, Torres, Kim. She mentally called them to her aid. If they were still on board she knew they would come. If she could get one hand free, she might be able to press her badge and call them. The weight of Celes was too great to risk removing a hand.

Janeway continued to focus; continued to hold onto the limp arm of the young woman. Her ankle was numb, but she could feel the trickle of blood down her leg. She ignored all sight and sound. All her energy went into keeping her fingers strong, keeping her grip from loosening even a micro-millimeter.

Though she struggled valiantly, even Captain Kathryn Janeway could not fight gravity. She willed her fingers not to slip, her muscles to continue to hold on, but time, weight, and gravity conspired against her. She felt Celes slip a few inches before she managed to reinitiate her grip.

"No, damn it!" she growled through gritted teeth. Janeway could feel her muscles shaking, losing their hold.

"Tal, wake up," Janeway ordered. The ensign remained motionless, only her body swayed slightly with the movement from Janeway's failing hold. Janeway did not let go, her arms and fingers screamed at her in protest, but she refused to give up. Finally, when the demands of her body overcame the focus of her mind, Janeway's fingers involuntarily let Tal Celes slip through them.

This time Janeway did cry out. She watched Celes fall into the abyss, her young body curving toward the right side of the cube wall. Janeway would have put a hand over her eyes to wipe away the tears, but neither finger nor arm would move. Her muscles were on fire, and her own tears followed Celes down into the pit of the Borg cube.

In the moments that followed the death of Tal Celes, Janeway gave up caring whether or not a rescue would come.

* * *

><p>"I'm getting a transmission from the <em>Calypso<em>," Tom said to the bridge crew from the helm of _Voyager_. "Looks like we successfully beamed five hundred and seventeen drones over. The doctors are working on them now."

The cube fired another shot and Tom grabbed onto the helm for support.

"What about our away teams?" Commander Chakotay asked. Instead of Harry's voice from the console in back of the bridge, Tom heard Neelix reply.

"Six crewmen still unaccounted for. The Captain, Tuvok, Kim, Krell, Celes and..." Neelix hesitated for a moment. Please don't say B'Elanna, Tom prayed.

"I'm sorry, Tom."

Another shot from the cube shook the ship, and Tom put his focus back into avoiding as many hits as possible.

"Shields down to nineteen percent. Hull breeches on decks 8 through 10." Someone said, Tom was too preoccupied to look at which crewman was manning Tuvok's station.

"Mr. Paris get us out of here," Chakotay ordered. Before Tom did anything he swiveled in his chair to protest leaving his wife behind.

"But Commander," Tom started but Chakotay stared him down.

"That is an order. The Borg cube is too heavily damaged to follow our retreat," Chakotay said. Tom clenched his jaw but turned back around in his seat.

"Yes, sir," he glowered. The ship left the damaged cube floating in space, and Tom waited until both _Voyager_ and the _Calypso_ were at safe distance away before he left his chair. To Tom's surprise, Chakotay was already heading for the turbo lift.

"Paris, you're with me. Mr. Neelix, you have the bridge. See if you can get some of the damaged systems back online," Chakotay ordered. Tom stepped into the turbo lift with the Commander, and in less dire circumstances might have laughed at the dumbfounded look on Neelix's face. The Talaxian looked over his shoulder, just to make sure Chakotay was indeed addressing him.

The turbo lift's door closed.

"Shuttle bay one." Chakotay ordered, but even without the command Tom knew where they were going. They were going to get their people back, and to do that Tom knew Chakotay needed the best pilot on _Voyager_.

* * *

><p>B'Elanna felt like she had been stumbling around in the darkened Borg hallways for hours. She found a piece of green tubing filled with a liquid that left a glowing residue, so at least she could mark which passages she had already explored.<p>

To her relief, she had passed through a number of hallways without seeing any drones, and deduced that she must be in the sector of the ship which was disabled long enough for the drones to beam aboard the _Calypso_.

B'Elanna's goal was not necessarily to find any of the _Voyager_ crew, but rather, to head in the direction of the docking bay. If luck was on her side, she could just hot wire an un-assimilated alien ship and make her way back to _Voyager_. For all she knew, the rest of the crew had managed to beam safely back to _Voyager_, as was planned.

With her uniform jacket wrapped around her waist she jogged down another corridor. In an atypical clumsy moment, B'Elanna tripped and landed, as her husband might say, flat on her face. Technically, she did not exactly land on her face, as she spread her arms forward to break her fall. Still the impact of the hard metal corridor stung.

B'Elanna pushed herself to a sitting position as she uttered a colorful Klingon curse word. She examined her damaged wrist, already busing nicely, and then looked down the corridor. There was a tautly pulled piece of wire stretched across the length of the corridor.

"That's Borg efficiency for you." B'Eleanna scoffed. Her eyes followed the unusually placed cord down the length of the hallway until it disappeared over the edge of what looked to be a sharp drop off. With a growl at her own clumsiness she got to her feet. She nearly took off on her trek without following the wire, but curiosity got the better of her.

With slow deliberate steps she traced the path next to the cable until she reached the edge of the platform. Below her opened into a huge hole running through the center of the cube. Attached to the wire, hanging in mid air, B'Elanna saw a familiar form.

"Captain?" she asked the question more to herself than the person below. The figure did not stir, but B'Elanna knew from the red uniform and slight, strong figure, the suspended being was the captain.

"Captain, are you injured?" B'Elanna asked again, this time in a louder voice. The figure jolted awake, and then with what looked like great strain looked up the length of her body. B'Elanna could see from the physical distress on Janeway's face she had been hanging upside down for quite some time.

"Hold on, I'll get you down," B'Elanna assured.

Quickly and gracefully the Klingon got down on all fours. She leaned far enough over the platform to scan the area immediately below. About half a meter below Janeway was a catwalk, safely stored against the wall in a vertical position against the far wall. B'Elanna stood up and hurried to the nearest console. If she could activate the catwkalk she might be able to extend the walkway to catch Janeway. The landing might be a bit painful, but B'Elanna had to get the captain down.

At the console, B'Elanna rummaged through a number of different systems before she found what she was looking for. She heard the catwalk activate with the command she entered and once finished went back to the edge to glance over.

The catwalk was wide, but B'Elanna still had to make a few adjustments to it, in order to ensure Janeway did not miss the target and fall into oblivion. With the alignment adjusted to her liking, B'Elanna violently tore a sharp piece of bulk head from the side of the corridor, and went back to the edge.

"Are you ready?" B'Elanna asked as she brought the metal to the wire.

"Yes," Janeway said weakly. B'Elanna was glad the captain could not see her because she could not hide her alarm. Normally, even in dire situations, Janeway's voice never wavered from its natural commanding tone. To hear it do so now jarred B'Elanna out of her comfort zone. Not that being on a Borg cube was any comfort.

B'Elanna sawed at the wire, until each thread inside the outer tubing began to break away. The last thread snapped and B'Elanna heard the crash as Janeway's body slammed into the catwalk. She looked over the edge once more, and watched the captain struggle and fail to rise to her feet. B'Elanna dropped the metal, which hit the floor with a loud clank and ran down the hall. She stopped suddenly. Knowing Janeway by the time B'Elanna took the long way around the captain would be standing, fighting off a drone with one hand and working on an escape with the other. B'Elanna could tell Janeway was in no condition for that.

With a shake of her head, B'Elanna turned and ran back toward the edge. She stopped at the precipice, and hesitated only for an instance. She jump free of the platform, and fell through the air to the catwalk just below.

The skillful leap and precise landing gave B'Elanna back some confidence after her earlier stumble over the wire. She steadied herself after the landing and moved to Janeway. The captain was still attempting to stand, and B'Elanna bodily pushed her against the side of the catwalk.

"Rest for a moment," B'Elanna ordered, probably the first time in history Janeway's chief engineer gave _her_ an order. Much to B'Elanna's relief the captain seemed too fatigued to argue.

Janeway closed her eyes and let her head rest against the metal railing behind her. B'Elanna took advantage of the moment by examining the Janeway's injuries. Aside from a nasty, deep cut around her ankle, which was still bleeding significantly, the captain seemed alright.

If other concerns had not taken priority B'Elanna might have asked to the real cause of Janeway's mental state. After all, B'Elanna had seen Janeway take beatings before, much worse than this, and still function normally. Truth was, B'Elanna did not like seeing her captain overcome by the human frailty that often incapacitated rest of the crew. Somehow Janeway always seemed above the weaknesses of the human condition.

Alarm then crept up B'Elanna spine. She looked around, but perched in the center of the abyss, she saw no other signs of life.

"Where is Seven?" B'Elanna's voiced betrayed her concern, and even surprised her a little. She cared. She, B'Elanna Torres-Paris, actually cared what happened to Seven of Nine. Becoming a mother must have really softened her.

"On _Voyager_," Janeway replied, a little strength returning to her voice. B'Elanna felt her shoulders relax. Seven was safe. Good.

"I am trying to get to the docking bay. From there we might be able to find a alien ship to get us out of here," B'Elanna explained. Janeway's head lifted and she opened her eyes.

From the determined look, B'Elanna could see the invincible Janeway she had come to depend on, was back.

"Good idea, but I want to stop by the shield generators. Harry and Tuvok might still be on board," Janeway stated, using the railing to lift herself to her feet. Her damaged ankle caused her some difficulty.

"I just came from there. I saw no one," B'Elanna answered, and moved closer to Janeway to offer her support.

"Knowing Tuvok they are probably already safely back," B'Elanna suggested. Janeway leaned on the chief engineer and the two of them started down the catwalk.

"Let's hope you're right," Janeway answered. Once again B'Elanna sensed something amiss in Janeway's tone, but she let it pass. The only thing that concerned B'Elanna at present was getting back to her husband and daughter.

* * *

><p>Harry Kim rested his elbows on his knees, and nervously twitched his fingers. Tuvok sat next to him, but his face remained an inscrutable fortress of Vulcan composure. The drones left them there, cornered in a section of the cube behind a slew of impenetrable force fields. Harry looked at the Vulcan, and found his expressionless demeanor both comforting and irritating at the same time.<p>

"What do you think they will do with us?" Harry asked. He stood up, no longer able to deal with sitting still. He paced across the small area between the force fields.

"Logic would dictate the Borg are devising a way to assimilate us, without destroying our memory engrams in the process."

Harry did not like the sound of that. He pounded his fist against the wall and peered down the corridor in front of them. He hated that he was helpless. Home was so close, and being trapped behind the force fields, made Harry's mood darken.

"Ensign, when the drones return, I believe we should initiate a plan of action," Tuvok said, his expression unchanging.

"I'm all for that. What did you have in mind?" Finally, a glimmer of hope. Before Tuvok could answer the drones returned. Harry suspected rather than knew Tuvok was about to try something. A single drone stepped up to the console to deactivate the shield and Harry tensed in anticipation.

As soon as the shields went down Tuvok attacked with alarming speed. He managed to disable the first drone with a precise blow to the neck but another drone came speeding toward them. Harry rolled around the fallen drone and managed to landed close enough to one of their discarded phasers to snatch it up. He fired at the approaching drone, and created a clear path of escape.

Harry ran down the corridor and only stopped when he heard a grunt from behind him. He turned to see Tuvok being swarmed around by four droves. Even two drones on each arm did not prove enough to completely stop the Vulcan. Another drone appeared and Tuvok struggled in vain.

"Run, ensign," Tuvok said. Harry fired a shot at the drone clutching Tuvok's arm, but the shot was deflected by a shield.

"That is an order," Tuvok's tone left no room for dispute. Harry still hesitated. Just before Ensign Kim started a running charged at the drones, Tuvok spoke.

"Find the others, get help," the Vulcan suggested. Harry stopped before he began his charge. He cursed under his breath and started back down the escape route. At the end of the corridor he stopped and turned back to Tuvok.

"I will be right back," Harry assured. Tuvok nodded, and Harry wished he felt as confident as Tuvok looked. Harry rounded another corner of the cube, and left his shipmate behind.

* * *

><p>Chakotay leaned over Lt. Pairs' shoulder as he piloted the <em>Delta Flyer<em> toward the Borg cube in the distance. They reached a sector of space just outside scanning range of the cube and Paris let off the thrusters.

"Well?" He asked, and looked up at Chakotay. Instead of facing Paris, Chakotay kept his eyes on the cube. Kathryn was on that cube. Nothing else mattered to him at the moment.

"Scan's from _Voyager_ showed the cube took heavy damage near their port docking bay. See if you can find a crack in the shielding," Chakotay ordered. His tone, calm and relax, did not match the churning emotions he felt inside.

"Aye, sir," Paris acknowledged and once again the _Delta Flyer_ began to move.

"Stay at low impulse," Chakotay sat down behind the console behind the pilot's chair, "they might be too busy with repairs to bother scanning us if they don't detect a threat."

Paris slowly inched the _Flyer_ closer. He knew the lieutenant was anxious to get aboard the ship, so was Chaktoay, but they would do B'Elanna and Kathryn no good if they were assimilated before they even got aboard.

After what seemed like lengthy hours, Tom had finally positioned the _Flyer _in front of a dock in the port shuttle bay.

"I'm detecting a hull breech in sector 4," Chakotay said, "shields are down, and the hole looks big enough to take the _Flyer_ through."

Paris cocked his head to the side.

"Here goes." Though he sounded unsure, Chakotay knew the pilot secretly enjoyed testing his skills. As suspected, Paris managed to maneuver the _Flyer _into the Borg docking bay with little difficulty.

Chakotay left his station and went to the weapons locker in back. He pulled out the biggest phaser he could find, while Paris hooked the _Flyer_ up to the docking clamps.

Once the procedure was complete and atmosphere had been restored Tom stood up and walked to Chakotay.

"You stay here, that's an order," Chakotay pointed back at the pilot's chair.

"But-" Tom began to protest. Chakotay interrupted.

"If we have to make a fast get away you need to be here," Chakotay explained. Tom put out his hands in dispute.

"But-" He heard Paris say, but he was out of the shuttle bay doors before he heard any more.

Chakotay walked down the corridor, his pace steady and his face determined. A drone rounded the corner and he shot it. He stepped over the fallen body with ease not slowing his pace and continued his journey. Another drone came at him, and he fired again. The drone had already adapted. Chakotay still did not slow down.

He continued toward the drone, and used the end of the phaser to strike the drone. That did not incapacitate the machine, so Chakotay threw a powerful punch directly at the drone's head. The force this time was enough to drop the drone to the ground.

Chakotay continued his march, holding the phaser high. He rounded the corner and discovered a pile of collapsed debris blocked his path. With the phaser on full strength he blasted the unwanted objects out of his way. The corridor was still on fire when he walked through, but he was unaffected by the heat. He had a singular goal. Find the missing crew members. Find his friends. Find Kathryn.

* * *

><p>"What's that?" B'Elanna asked. Janeway snapped to attention, and looked at her chief engineer. B'Elanna let go, and Janeway hurled herself into hiding behind an alcove just beyond the hallway. She saw B'Elanna directly across from her, crouching behind a console.<p>

They waited until the sound was only a few meters away. Janeway dared a glance down the corridor. What she saw, she almost couldn't believe.

"Captain," Chakotay said, and lowered the phaser in his hands. Janeway could not speak. After losing Tal Celes, Janeway came to some difficult realizations. It was not just Tal Celes she lost. Today she had lost her father, she had lost Mark all over again. Was she doomed to be forever alone? Had her intelligence and ambition fated her for a life devoid of the deepest forms of love?

She could not lose Chakotay today too. She held onto Celes with all the strength in her, and it was still not enough. Perhaps she would lose Chakotay in the end, but she knew now, she had to try. For too long she had pushed him away. Past experience and pain, more so than regulation, held her back, she admitted to herself now.

Fate asked too much of her in taking Tal Celes' life. No more. She could not bear to lose anymore. _Speak now or forever hold your peace_ repeated in her mind, followed by_, there is no later_.

Janeway hobbled into the hallway, and Chakotay made a direct line for her. He did not slow his pace, she did not want him to. Just before he reached her she straightened, putting all her weight on her undamaged leg, and lifted her arms. Chakotay easily fell into the welcoming hug. Janeway brought her lips to met his, and she felt as if fires had erupted all over the ship.

She felt his shutter of surprise, but he met her passionate embrace with ferocity. This kiss had been coming for seven long years, and neither Borg cube, nor threat of death seemed to matter for a few fleeting moments. The need for air forced Janeway to end the kiss, but she did not pull away from his arms.

"I hope it's not too late," she said, very softly into his ear. She backed away from him then, to look up into his face. "I love you."

His gentle dark eyes told her all the response she needed. It wasn't too late. Chakotay cupped her cheek with his hand, and held her gaze until a noise interrupted their moment. Janeway looked to her left and saw B'Elanna_. B'Elanna_! Janeway almost forgot the lieutenant was standing nearby. Standing was not the correct word. Gaping, ogling, staring like a stunned targ were more apt descriptions.

With typical cleverness, B'Elanna swept the boggled look off her face instantly, and then folded her arms. One of her shoulders dropped toward the ground.

"I'm glad to see you too, Commander, but I'm not going to kiss you," she remarked.

Janeway pulled away from Chakotay, more than a little embarrassed. She felt her cheeks burning, and a slew of expletives raced across her mind. She hoped by the time her senior staff found out about her relationship with Chakotay, she would have already been married to him for about ten years.

"Paris is waiting for us," Chakotay said, and gestured back down the corridor he appeared from. B'Elanna's eye lit up at the mention of her husband's name. Chakotay took B'Elanna's place as Janeway's support.

"The _Delta Flyer_ is docked in the shuttle bay," Chakotay explained.

"Is everyone off the cube?" Janeway asked.

"We are still missing Harry, Tuvok, Krell and Celes," Chakotay replied, helping Janeway over some debris. She stopped.

"Celes is..." she trailed off, unable to say the word. All she could do was close her eyes and move her head to the side.

"So is Krell," B'Elanna added. Janeway once again stopped.

"I'm not going anywhere until we have Harry and Tuvok."

B'Elanna did not hide her sigh of annoyance. Chakotay, although Janeway knew he shared B'Elanna irritation, regarded her kindly and calmly.

"We won't, but let's re-group at the shuttle, and decide or next move," he said. Janeway thought it over.

"Agreed." She took his hand, and once more proceeded to the shuttle bay.

* * *

><p>Harry was sure he was imagining things. Crouched on a platform in the Borg shuttle bay, his blinked his eyes hard. It couldn't be, and yet, there it was. Harry swore the <em>Delta Flyer<em> was docked only a few clicks away from him, inside the Borg cube. At first he thought he was the subject of some sort of Borg trick. Maybe he hadn't escaped the drones and they were torturing him with some sort of illusion.

He must have lingered there, staring at the Starfleet logo on the side of the ship for a good fifteen minutes. Finally, figuring he had nothing to lose, he crawled from his perch and approached the ship.

He put one hand out in front of him, and continually looked behind to make sure no one was trying to sneak up behind him. His fingers inched closer to the hull. The metal was warm to the touch, like it had just be in motion.

Just then, the door popped open, and Harry jumped back what he thought must have been ten meters. Inside the shuttle door stood Tom Paris.

"Harry!" Tom said with a big grin. He stepped forward but Harry backed away.

"You look like Tom, you sound like Tom...but are you Tom?" Harry questioned, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Tom shook his head, and reached out his arm to pull Harry into an embrace.

"Don't be so paranoid, you'd think you'd been trapped on a Borg ship or something," Tom replied jovially. If this was a trick Harry figured he might as well play along.

"How did you get here?"

"We flew, how else?" Tom replied, and Harry smirked at the statement. He was beginning to think this was the real Tom after all. Even the Borg couldn't program someone with a sense of humor that annoying.

"I thought you were Chakotay. He went to look for you," Tom explained.

"Are sensors working?" Harry asked and stepped inside the _Flyer_.

"Yes..." Tom replied, with a question also in his tone. Harry did not have time to explain, he wanted to locate Tuvok, and fast. Outside on the platform he heard movement, and looked up from the console to see Chakotay returning with the captain and B'Elanna. Tom rushed out of the shuttle and he and B'Elanna hugged about halfway between the _Flyer _and the captain.

"I thought I told you to be ready for a fast escape," Chakotay scolded. He was helping the captain down the platform, as Harry could see she sustained some kind of injury.

"I found Harry," Tom said, just as he and B'Elanna re-entered the _Flyer_.

"Ensign, it's good to see you," Janeway said to Kim, and he almost felt like his mother was there, handing him a warm glass of milk.

"You too," he replied. The smile in Janeway's eyes faded and was replaced by no nonsense steel. "Where is Commander Tuvok?"

"I'm scanning for him now," Kim said, in a professional tone, and turned his attention back to the console.

"I've got a lock on him."

"Can you beam him here?" Chakotay asked. Kim shook his head.

"The Borg are repairing the ship. They are blocking transporters."

"Where is Tuvok," Janeway asked, "maybe maneuver the _Flyer _within transporter range."

With that suggestion, Chakotay left Janeway's side and took his post at the console just behind the pilot seat. B'Elanna moved to the only other available console.

"He's about five hundred meters from here, no wait, six hundred," Kim said. He frowned, he's brow wrinkling. The readings did not make any sense.

"Ensign?" Captain Janeway prompted him.

"Captain, I think...I think he's on some kind of smaller Borg vessel," Kim answered, still unsure exactly what he was seeing.

"See if you can get a lock on him. Mr. Paris, take us out of here. Lay in a course for Tuvok's signal," Janeway ordered.

"Yes ma'am," Tom replied, and Harry could tell Tom relished having the captain back.

As the _Flyer_ ascended the hull shook and tossed them around.

"Looks like the way we came in is now blocked," Tom said, to no one in particular.

"Then make a hole," Janeway ordered. Chakotay powered up the phasers, and blew a hole in the hull of the cube, from the inside. A split second later, Tom navigated the _Flyer_ through. They emerged into space, but Harry kept his focus on the readings.

"The ship is just ahead," Harry said, and put the image on screen before Janeway could make the request. The vessel was a small, perfectly circular object.

"Captain, I'm reading their transwrap drive coming online," B'Elanna informed.

"Can we get a weapons lock," Janeway asked.

"The vessel is out of range," Chakotay answered. Janeway, with one hand on her hip, turned to face Kim.

"Can you get a lock on Tuvok?"

Harry pursed his lips in frustration. No matter what code he used, he couldn't break through the Borg shields.

"Still too much interference," Harry said reluctantly, wishing Seven where with them.

"They are going into transwarp," B'Elanna warned. Janeway lifted her hand.

"I lost one crewmen today, I'm not about to lose another. Suggestions?"

Everyone on board the _Flyer_ was silent. Harry had to act fast. His solution would not get Tuvok back, but the idea was the only one he could come up with.

"Sorry Tuvok, this might hurt," Kim said, and engaged the transporters. He could almost hear Tuvok cry out in pain from across the vastness of space. In another instant, the small circular vessel disappeared.

"What did you do, Harry?" B'Elanna asked.

"I transported a homing beacon into Tuvok's arm...I think," Harry explained. "It may help us find him later...if..." Harry did not finish the sentence.

"B'Elanna, can we follow the vessel?" The captain asked.

B'Elanna shook her head.

"They destabilized their transwrap field instantly, there is no way we could have entered, even if we had been close enough."

"_Voyager_ took heavy damage during the attack. We need to re-group, with the homing beacon, we should be able to find Tuvok when we've had a chance to devise a rescue plan," Chakotay said. Janeway frowned, and Harry could see she did not like the suggested course of action.

"By then it might me too late," Janeway replied.

"Maybe not," Harry spoke up. All eyes turned to him. When he was first brought aboard _Voyager_, he would have been uncomfortable in a situation like this, with all attention of the senior staff focused on him. Now, he was at ease.

"The drones did not assimilate us. I think they knew if they did it would kill us. My guess is, they will keep Tuvok alive, until they can figure out how to undo Crusher's inoculation."

"That will buy us some time," Chakotay added.

Janeway put a hand to her temple, and for the first time, Harry could see the fatigue she fought to hide. For an instant, Harry thought she might collapse.

"Mr. Paris," Janeway said reluctantly, blatant frustration lacing her words, "lay in a course for _Voyager_."


End file.
